Description
Human rights are not just another set of legal tools, norms and entitlements. Rather, they radiate the authority of „inalienable rights“, which all human beings equally possess - simply because of their humanness. This is the foundational idea.
Although human rights are a beacon of hope for numerous people in all continents, they remain politically contested in many ways. Critics have questioned the effectiveness of human rights campaigns as well as the legitimacy of promoting universal rights across political and cultural boundaries. In order to respond to critical objections, one has to tackle stereotypical misperceptions, such as the false equation of human rights with an „individualistic“ lifestyle. In fact, human rights facilitate political solidarity based on universal respect.
Unlike other introductions to human rights, which usually focus on legal standards, procedures and institutions, this book mainly explores the foundational principles, which jointly define the human rights approach: inherent dignity, freedom, equality and solidarity. The purpose is to trigger curiosity, critical questions, debates and personal discoveries.
Professor Heiner Bielefeldt teaches human rights at the Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen-Nurembourg. Between 2010 and 2016, he served as UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.
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