Mark Gibney: Human Rights and Film

This week, we welcome Professor Mark Gibney to the show. Mark Gibney is the Carol G. Belk Distinguished Professor at UNC Asheville, longtime director of the Political Terror Scale, and one of the leading voices in international human rights scholarship. He is a longtime friend and colleague of Professor Bert Lockwood, marking more than 40 years of friendship this year. Meredith’s own friendship with Mark is rooted in a shared passion for storytelling through human rights film and documentary, which frames this conversation. In this episode, we explore the intersection of human rights, storytelling, and global accountability through the lens of Mark’s extraordinary career. We discuss the Political Terror Scale and the role of data in documenting torture, disappearances, political imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings, as well as his recent scholarship calling for a more nuanced system of graded responsibility in international law. We also examine the power of film as a human rights tool through Mark’s course on human rights cinema and a wide-ranging discussion of documentaries, including The Alabama Solution, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, Collective, and Darwin’s Nightmare. Together, we reflect on how film can expose hidden abuses, humanize legal frameworks, and expand public understanding in ways traditional institutions sometimes cannot. Grounding the conversation in the realities of this moment, we also discuss human rights challenges unfolding in the United States and around the world, from democratic backsliding and prison abuses to the crises in Iran and Palestine, and where Mark sees possibilities for accountability and change. We hope this discussion encourages our listeners to reflect on how one measures injustice, how we bear witness, and how law, storytelling, and civic engagement can work together in the pursuit of international human rights. Show Notes Episode Transcript PDF Professor Mark Gibney, UNC Asheville Political Terror Scale (PTS) “Taking Human Rights Obligations (More) Seriously,” Human Rights Quarterly (Vol. 47, 2025) Films & Documentaries  The Alabama Solution Mr. Nobody Against Putin Collective Darwin’s Nightmare Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Walk The Lives of Others Flint’s Deadly Water, Frontline PBS Video Resources & Article AP News Article: Sonny Burton’s commutation Epstein Exposed