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Over the past several decades, as part of its foreign policy doctrine, the United States has dedicated significant resources to the promotion of international human rights norms and discourse. However, its actions in many contexts, particularly in the Middle East, have often drawn criticism for being insufficient, inconsistent, or even detrimental to human rights. This course delves into the mechanisms through which the United States promotes international human rights and examines the tools at its disposal. It particularly examines how these mechanisms and human rights-related policies are enhanced or undermined in the face of other foreign policy decisions related to global peace and security concerns. The course explores cases to interrogate the successes and failures of US human rights policy in the region over the past two decades. Key questions to be explored include: What is the responsibility of the United States in addressing some of the most challenging human rights contexts in the region? Can the US approach human rights promotion in the Middle East differently?