Thoughts on the programme: The main reason I had to choose the M.A. Human Rights in FAU was its interdisciplinary and international approach. In Latin America, human rights are tending to be treated from a strictly legal perspective and this make citizens believe that it is a problem only for lawyers or judges but not for them. In my experience, in order to making sense of human rights in modern democracies we need to develop a broader perspective so that we can use them in favour of the contemporary social transformations.
I think the proposal of the academic team of the programme is very refreshing because they see human rights studies as a complex field with issues that need to be addressed from a legal, political and philosophical perspective in order to become the common ground for the dialogue within our shared human diversity. In my opinion, this interdisciplinary approach and also the teaching methodology of the professors give us the theoretical and practical tools that my colleagues and I are going to need in our future professional performance.
I would like to highlight the privileged environment that FAU provides us to discuss and think about human rights issues from a critical point of view with likeminded people from all over the world. This is an ideal place to learn about international experiences and prepared ourselves for the challenges we are facing in the new century. We need to find new solutions for the conflicts that arise every day, and I truly believe this kind of exchange of ideas stimulates the creativity and the courage that we need to do so.
Professional background: Before I started my studies in FAU, I graduated as a lawyer from Universidad de Chile and studied a Master in Education in Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación. Since 2015, I have both volunteered and worked in different NGOs related to human rights advocacy and human rights education, because for me the development of a consistent human rights culture needs not only well prepared academics and institutions but also an aware, organised and critical civil society. After I finish my studies in FAU I want to keep working in the human rights field, hoping that my work contributes to developing an inclusive and equal global society.