INTEGRATING HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION IN LITERARY STUDIES: AN ANALYSIS OF TO HOAI’S "A PHU AND HIS WIFE"

Abstract

This study explores the feasibility and effectiveness of using literary works, specifically Tô Hoài's short story "A Phu and His Wife", as a powerful instrument for Human Rights Education (HRE). By analyzing the human rights violations from the International Human Rights Law framework and utilizing a rigorous Focus Group Discussion (FGD) methodology—including phases for unaided recognition, prompted analysis, and role-playing—the research measured students' capacity to identify specific rights and apply macro-justice concepts. Findings demonstrated that the structured checklist method was highly effective (100% accurate identification), strongly validating H1. Conversely, students exhibited a major disparity in spontaneous awareness (H4), readily identifying thematic violations (Gender Inequality, Slavery) while struggling with procedural rights (Fair Trial). The complex concept of Transitional Justice proved challenging to apply (contradicting H2). Furthermore, the analysis of Mỵ's climactic action revealed that the survival motive (70%) largely superseded Human Dignity (30%) as the primary driver, contradicting H3, although most participants (80%) were aware of the extreme risk involved. This research confirms that literature, when paired with structured legal tools, is powerful for HRE but highlights the necessity for explicit pedagogical support for abstract justice concepts and the complex interplay between ethics and survival.