本文探討不同社會文化中的公立學校體系在推行人權教育時所面臨的若干挑 戰。人權教育具有世界性（cosmopolitan）的本質，然而各國公立學校體系 卻鮮少認為國家具有世界性特質。本研究強調兩個重要的人權概念：普遍性 （universality）與肯認（recognition）。要建立符合當前社會需求的人權教育 理論與實踐方式，便有必要再次檢視這兩個重要概念。當代社會日趨多元， 同時也出現越來越多權力不對等關係，以及反民主與極端政治運動，在此情勢 下，一般認為人權教育能符合社會的需求。本研究認為，無論教學者或學習者 都必須了解，人權與民主可能相當脆弱，需持續注入新的意涵（renew）與反 覆檢視（refresh）才能充分發揮作用。因此，比起許多重要人權文獻對於肯認 的闡述，人權教育的發展理論更需強調這個概念，人權教育必須奠基於學習者 的經驗並運用其論述，更重要的是要正視歷史創傷，才能為現今社會正義作出 更多貢獻。本文最後歸納出幾項原則，作為不同社會文化中人權教育的討論與 實踐提供參考。

This paper explores some of the challenges of implementing human rights education, characterised as a cosmopolitan project, within the national framework of public schools, which rarely conceive of the nation as cosmopolitan. It focuses on two human rights concepts, universality and recognition, concepts which need to be revisited if we are to develop a theory and practice of human rights education (HRE) which meets the needs of contemporary societies which are increasingly recognised as diverse, which continue to be characterized by asymmetrical power relations and by antidemocratic and extremist political movements. The paper argues that human rights education is one in which teachers and learners need to understand that human rights and democracy may be fragile and need to be constantly renewed and refreshed if they are to be guaranteed. Accordingly, an evolving theory and practice of human rights education needs to embrace the concept of recognition, extending it beyond that expounded in key human rights instruments. Human rights education needs to build on the experiences of leaners, drawing on their narratives. In particular, it needs to confront the traumatic past if it is to contribute to greater social justice in the present. The paper concludes with some principles which might inform debate and practice in human rights education in different socio-cultural contexts.