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Human Rights Michael Freeman

Human Rights By Michael Freeman

Human Rights by Michael Freeman


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Summary

Emphasizes the ways in which the experiences of victims of human rights violations are related to legal, philosophical and social-scientific approaches to human rights. By tracing history of the concept, this book shows that there is a fundamental tension between philosophy of human rights and the way in which it is understood in social sciences.

Human Rights Summary

Human Rights: An Interdisciplinary Approach by Michael Freeman

"Human Rights" is an introductory text that is both innovative and challenging. It invites students to think conceptually about one of the most important and influential political concepts of our time. In this unique interdisciplinary approach, Michael Freeman emphasizes the complex ways in which the experiences of the victims of human rights violations are related to legal, philosophical and social-scientific approaches to human rights. By tracing the history of the concept, the book shows that there is a fundamental tension between the philosophy of human rights and the way in which it is understood in the social sciences.This analysis throws light on some of the most controversial issues in the field: Is the idea of the universality of human rights consistent with respect for cultural difference? Are there collective human rights? Should feminists embrace, revise or reject the idea of human rights? Does the idea of human rights distract our attention from the structural causes of oppression and exploitation? What are the underlying causes of human rights violations? And why do some countries have much worse human rights records than others? The book will appeal to students in the social sciences, as well as students of human rights law who want an introduction to the non-legal aspects of their subject. It will also be read by scholars interested in ethics and the social sciences, as well as the general reader.

Human Rights Reviews

"Human rights' is not a thing, but a concept, a way of thinking and making claims about certain events. These claims derive from moral rules and are expressed in legal terms or United Nations dialect. Michael Freeman's excellent book provides a patient unravelling of how these distinctive claims have emerged and how to reconceptualize them in terms of social science and political theory. Current public discourse and the massive new wave of academic interest just assume that human rights is 'a concept whose time has come'. Freeman gives this audience a most valuable, reliable and clear answer to his own question: 'But what is it precisely that has come?" Stan Cohen, Professor of Sociology, London School of Economics "Michael Freeman's Human Rights, An Interdisciplanary Approach is a unique five star Baedecker to an expanding landscape of serious research introducing the reader to the diverse ways academic fields of scolarship come to grips with the important topic of human rights....it will attract bright and inquiring minds who will want to dig more deeply into the literature to which they have been so gracefully initiated" Richard Pierre Claude, Human Rights Quarterly "The treatment of the background concepts and theories as well of the different issues is up to date, substantially focussed and presented in a balanced way. In this Freeman succeeds in presenting the complexity of the discussions without demanding prior knowledge" Mikael Spang, Ethnic and Racial Studies "'Human rights,' states Freeman with justifiable certainty in the Introduction to this excellent book, 'is an interdisciplinary concept par excellence'. ...Throughout this engaging text, Freeman is sensitive to the debates but wholly committed to the issues. ...What a gift this is for students of various disciplines interested in human rights but intimidated by the complex legal and philosophical jargon contained in much of the literature." Darren J. O'Byrne, University of Surrey Roehampton "Human Rights is an introductory text that is both innovative and challenging. [...] In this unique interdisciplinary approach, Michael Freeman emphasizes the complex ways n which the experiences of the victims of human rights violations are related to legal, philosophical and socio-scientific approaches to human rights." Philosophical Inquiry

About Michael Freeman

Michael Freeman is Reader in Government at the University of Essex.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction: thinking about human rightsRealities, Concepts, The social sciences, Beyond human rights law, ConclusionChapter 2 Origins: the rise and fall of natural rightsWhy history? On rights and tyrants, Justice and rights, Natural rights, The age of revolutions, The decline of natural rights Chapter 3 After 1945: the new age of rightsThe UN and the human rights revival, The Universal Declaration, From theory to practice: (a)The Cold War, (b)After the Cold War, ConclusionChapter 4 Theories of human rightsWhy theory? Human rights theory: (a) Rights (b) Other values (c) Human nature (d) Conflicts of rights (e) Democracy (f) ConclusionChapter 5 The role of the social sciencesIntroduction: human rights and social science, The dominance of law, Political science, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, International relations, ConclusionChapter 6 Universality, diversity and difference: culture and human rights The problem of cultural imperialism, Cultural relativism, Minority rights, Indigenous peoples, The right to self-determination, The rights of women Chapter 7 Idealism, realism and repression: the politics of human rightsThe real politics of human rights, The boomerang theory, The national politics of human rights, The statistics of human rights, NGOs in world politicsChapter 8 Development and Globalization: economics and human rightsDevelopment versus human rights? The right to development, Globalization, International financial institutions, Economic and social rightsChapter 9 Conclusion: human rights in the twenty-first centuryLearning from history, Objections to human rights, Problems of intervention, Concluding remarksReferences Index

Additional information

GOR001243725
9780745623566
0745623565
Human Rights: An Interdisciplinary Approach by Michael Freeman
Used - Very Good
Paperback
Polity Press
2002-11-30
216
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - Human Rights