A discussion of human rights drew more people than the Foster Auditorium could hold.
About 150 students, some forced to sit on the floor, crowded into the auditorium for a panel discussion Monday night.
During the discussion, titled "Dignity and Justice for All?: 60 Years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," four Penn State professors talked about the declaration, which was created by the United Nations in 1948.
"It provided a pragmatist's answer to a philosopher's question," said Jonathan Marks, associate professor of bio-ethics, humanities, and law. That question was where human rights come from, he said.
Marks talked about civil and political rights, like privacy and voting, versus economic and social rights like healthcare and education. Marks said just signing a treaty doesn't force people to stand up for human rights.
"They just deny what they do is torture," Marks said.
Despite some setbacks in the arena of human rights, he said he is optimistic about the future.
"I've been called a pessimist at times. Our glass holds the promise of great things in the future, but we must work to keep that glass as full as possible," he said.
Sophia McClennen, associate professor of comparative literature, Spanish, and women's studies, said her role on the panel was "the humanist." She talked about the role of culture in human rights. She and Marks talked about the television show 24, which Marks said propagates the false idea that "there is a ticking bomb and that torture works."
Native African Tiyanjana Maluwa, associate dean and director of the School of International Affairs, said though only four African countries were members of the United Nations in 1948, that hasn't stopped 41 of the 58 African countries from incorporating bills of rights.
He said it is important to remember, despite the declaration, genocides are still occurring in the world.
"We should ask, exactly what are we achieving? Where are the remaining challenges we need to focus on?," he said.
