The course will help students reflect on the idea of human rights from the perspectives of major philosophical and religious traditions in the contemporary multicultural world. The contents will cover basic concepts of rights, the historical development of these ideas, and the perspectives of different philosophical traditions (such as liberalism, utilitarianism and communitarianism), and world religions like Confucianism, Buddhism, and Christianity. Finally, the ethical foundation of rights, the balance between individual rights and good society, and conflicts between different kinds of human rights will be discussed.