Established: 1807
Location: Downtown Baltimore, Maryland
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) at North South University (NSU) hosted an impactful webinar titled “Hierarchy and Human Rights”, bringing together a diverse group of academics, students, legal experts, and researchers for a critical discussion on the racial and structural inequalities embedded in global human rights discourse.
The event, held virtually on Thursday, May 29, featured distinguished guest speakers Professor Nathan Patz, from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, and Professor Matiang’i Sirleaf, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The session was moderated by Dr. Cynthia McKeney, Assistant Professor and Director of the Office of External Affairs at NSU.
In his opening remarks, Professor Md. Rizwanul Islam, Dean of SHSS and Professor of Law at NSU, addressed how human rights frameworks have often been co-opted to reinforce national hierarchies, glorifying some while marginalizing others.
Professor Sirleaf delivered a compelling critique of conventional human rights scholarship, arguing that it frequently excludes the fundamental rights claims of Black communities. She highlighted how the dominant “master narrative” sustains white supremacist ideologies and marginalizes the historical and contemporary struggles of Black people. She called for a comprehensive re-evaluation of the human rights paradigm to make it genuinely inclusive and universal.
The interactive Q&A session allowed students and faculty to engage directly with Professor Sirleaf on topics surrounding racial justice and dignity. She emphasized that true eradication of racism requires the full recognition of Black dignity and historical agency.
The webinar underscored the urgent need to decolonize human rights thinking and to address embedded racial biases in global legal and academic frameworks.
Study in Maryland from Bangladesh: 🎓 University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)
- Established: 1807
- Location: Downtown Baltimore, Maryland
- Academic Focus: Primarily graduate and professional education in health and legal fields. UMB comprises some of the oldest professional schools in the U.S., including:
- School of Medicine
- School of Law
- School of Dentistry
- School of Pharmacy
- School of Nursing
- School of Social Work
- Student Body: Approximately 898 undergraduates and 6,239 postgraduates
- Campus: Urban setting covering 71 acres
- Research: In 2019, UMB and UMD College Park jointly spent $1.1 billion on research and development, ranking 14th nationally.
How do I apply to UMB?
To apply at University of Maryland, Baltimore, click on the links below to visit each school’s admission pages: https://www.umaryland.edu/ois/prospective-students/admission-information