...Are human rights truly universal? This essay will address the question of human rights, whether they are truly universal or not. First I will explore the contemporary definition of human rights by outlining the key points in the historical evolution of the concept. Then I will engage with those perspectives which suggest that human rights are not universal, because of cultural or other differences between societies. After that, I will consider the possible ways that human rights can achieve its universality without the contradiction of any culture. Human Rights have quite a long history. They have already been mentioned in ancient Greek Philosophy. Later on, “Rights of Man” has been mentioned in both the American Declaration of Independence, as well as in the Rights of Man and the Citizens at the time of the French Revolution (Summa, 2011). After the second world war, the need for an organization to maintain international peace and to prevent the world from a new world war has been emerged. As a result of that, on the 26th of October 1945, 51 country has established the United Nations. To protect and guarantee the rights of every individual in the world, the United Nations General Assembly has approved a bill, which contains the human rights of individuals. This document is called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which includes rights such as equality before the law, protection against arbitrary arrest, freedoms of speech, religion, assembly and political participation...
Words: 1599 - Pages: 7
...Many also object to specific rights which they say reflect Western cultural bias: the right, for instance, to political pluralism, the right to paid vacations (always good for a laugh in the sweatshops of the developing world) and, most troublesome of all, the rights of women. How can women's rights be universal in the face of widespread divergences of cultural practice, when in some societies marriage is seen not as a contract between two individuals but as an alliance between lineages, and when the permissible behaviour of womenfolk is central to the society's perception of its honour? In addition, some religious leaders argue that human rights can only be acceptable if they are founded on transcendent values of their faith, sanctioned by God. The Universal Declaration claims no such heritage - a draft reference to the Creator was consciously left out of the final text. There is a built-in conflict between the universality of human rights and the particularity of religious perspectives. How can one respond to these objections? Concepts of justice and law, the legitimacy of government, the dignity of the individual, protection from oppressive or arbitrary rule and participation in the affairs of the community are found in every society on the face of this earth. The challenge of human rights is to identify the common denominators rather than to throw up one's hands at the impossibility of universalism. The objections also reflect a false opposition between the primacy of the...
Words: 1293 - Pages: 6
...Who is eligible for rights given by the law? On what basis are they obtained? As questions for rights, the impression has long been a contentious one. Traditional citizenship has been cast in liberal terms, as an individual legal right with certain set of responsibilities bestowed by a state to its citizens. But, in recent approaches the idea of citizenship has been reconceptualised to take a less state-centred approach to more actor-oriented one, arguing that citizenship is achieved through the citizens themselves, based on their diverse sets of...
Words: 1328 - Pages: 6
...cleaver and insightful ways on how he plans to heal the damaged society. As V takes on the totalitarianism society run by the British Government, he displays to Kant’s theories that he is the opposite. Although his morals might be in the right place, he continuously uses others to meet the ends of his own means, which directly goes against Kant’s categorical imperative. Along with this, V’s revenge seeking mission goes against another maxim Kant put on his categorical imperative. This is the ‘universality’ maxim. If everyone were doing what V was doing the entire time, many more people would have been killed as well as they are would be no conflict in the first place. What the ‘party’ or the government of Great Britain has been doing the entire time would have never have occurred if they were all fighting the party like V was. V goes against every bit of Kant’s categorical imperative and justifies his own ends through other peoples will. V doesn’t force anyone to do anything in V for Vendetta but rather offers him or her a question of joining or opposing his ways. Sussman 2 As the film progresses, V just shows us how much he actually opposes the guidelines of Kant’s first maxim in his theory of the categorical imperative. The first maxim being universality, V shows the audience that he is the only one who can be doing this and no one else would have the bloodthirsty passion that runs through his veins. V being the one who survived the horrific fire back when the labs, and cells went a blaze...
Words: 1112 - Pages: 5
...Kant on Suicide William is a young man who is currently attending Cornell University. A very bright young man, he started his collegiate career about three years ago pursuing a Bachelor of Science in engineering. William comes from a humble family and he is the first generation in his family to attend college. Currently William’s 6th semester is coming to a close. Before he can start the celebrations and binge drinking, he has to face the daunting task at hand, finals week. As always, William has put all his attention and hard work in hopes of attaining top marks in all his finals which would help keep intact his flawless GPA. He is heavily motivated to better his life as well as his families through education. Recently, William has basically become a hermit in the library where he is constantly reviewing his study material. He wants to make sure he doesn’t miss a thing. The days go by slowly and William starts to take his exams. Staying up late every night to do some last minute studying has become a recent habit. He’s sleep has suffered. William has gotten roughly a couple hours of sleep each night for the past 4 days. Luckily, William takes his last final and lets out a huge sigh of relief. Although a bright student, he never was the most confident individual. William always fears for the worst and worries about the grades he will receive. A week later, the final grades are posted and William hurriedly signs on to his school website in order to check his exam grades...
Words: 3093 - Pages: 13
...CV0C=Universality of human rights has always been a extensively challenged and debated topic, especially in the recent decades. In recent decades, a widely contested debate over the universality of human rights has emerged. Rights are certainly not universally-applied today, with oppression, torture and various atrocities committed in many parts of the world. This paper will focus on the notion that both in the Third-World and the West, states have used human rights discussion as a political tool, which has weakened arguments for its universality. This perspective will be utilised to break down arguments made against universal human rights before presenting alternative conceptions of universal human rights and identifying developments which may ensure they can be universally applied and respected. It is important to first define the theoretical basis of ‘universal’ human rights. Universal conceptions argue human rights are inalienable, self-evident and applicable to all human beings (Donnelly, 2003, 10). These arguments are often linked to origins in Western philosophy and natural law, developed from philosophers such as John Locke (Langlois, 2009, 12). Many scholars maintain that human rights are ‘pre-political’, thus unchangeable and unaffected by cultural or political variation. Donnelly identifies the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the basis in establishing the “contemporary consensus on internationally recognised human rights” (2003, 22). Human rights hold...
Words: 2646 - Pages: 11
...Universality of Art -An interview with Djibrirou Kane Ottawa University Abstract An artist was interviewed for the Art/Expression breadth essay. In this essay, the interviewee is presented with various questions that span from thematic subjects of his artwork and what region had the most influence on his various paintings. This interview was repeated twice. Moreover, I ask the interviewee what drove him to express himself using this art form; he explains that it was due to his belief that fine arts have the farthest reaching and most lasting effect on human beings, as the saying goes “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Furthermore, the paper explores the artist’s tributes and recognitions of other forms of art(s) and his appreciation of the women and mothers of the region he hails from, as well as women across the globe. Universality of Art – An interview with Djibrirou Kane Art and self-expression have always been present in human populations, as many of the discovered cave paintings that are thousands of years old have clearly revealed. Art, however, can assume many forms – from music and poetry to fashion and design. For this breadth essay of Art/expression, I interviewed a young West African Artist named Djibrirou Kane (personal communication, January 20, 2016). He is a professional painter but also does a collage of artwork. He, for instance, mixes media art and draws, but refers to himself as predominantly a painter. The discussion on his artwork will...
Words: 1537 - Pages: 7
...was born in a village called Lumbini into a warrior tribe called the Sakyas. Buddha's father, Suddhodana was the king of a small principality based on the town of Kapilavastu. His mother, Queen Maya, died seven days after Gautama's birth. Gautama was brought up in great luxury and sheltered from the harshness of the outside world. At sixteen the prince married Yasodhara. Yasodhara bore him a son whom he called Rahula (meaning "chain" or "fetter"), a name that indicated Gautama's sense of dissatisfaction with his life of luxury. His apparent sense of dissatisfaction turned to disillusion when he saw three things each of which represented different forms human suffering: a decrepit old man, a diseased man, and a corpse. So traumatised was Siddharta by his new found awareness of the transience of pleasure and the universality of suffering, that he decided to embark on a life dedicated to true knowledge. Siddharta began his spiritual quest under the guidance of two teachers who showed him how to reach very deep states of meditation (samadhi). This did not, however, lead to a sense of true knowledge or peace, and the practice of deep meditation was abandoned in favour of a life of extreme asceticism which he shared with five companions. But again, after five or six years, of self-mortification, Siddharta felt he had failed to achieve true insight and rejected such practices as dangerous and useless. Resolved to continue his quest, Siddharta made his way to a deer park at Isipatana...
Words: 877 - Pages: 4
...Socialization is the process by which human beings acquire knowledge, language, social skills and values to conform to the norms and roles required for integration into a group or community from their social environment. The social environment is defined as the environment developed by human beings as contrasted with the natural environment. It presents the part where nature turns to nurture in the society that human beings live. It instills the values, beliefs, actions, habits, personality and skills necessary for the human beings to play a role in society. Heredity contributes only a small portion to how a human being turns out. A human beings DNA is what determines the physical attributes of a human being, but society makes him/her human. When a baby is born, it has no idea of self. The baby does not know if it is a boy or a girl, the color of its skin, how to walk, talk or eat. It must be taught who it is and how to do these things in early childhood. This is most critical and intense phase in the socialization process. Parents/caregivers, the primary source of this teaching, provide the foundation for morals, values, language symbols, what is good and bad, religion and what is or not acceptable in our society. They are the first to teach the baby what culture they are born into and what roles they will play in this life. In our culture, boys are taught to be rough and tumble. It is ok for them to get dirty and play outside. We give them trucks, construction...
Words: 755 - Pages: 4
... the “categorical imperative.” Duty-based ethics ascribe greater moral value to actions performed without regard to inclination, as opposed to a sense of personal gain. Kant insisted only good will was good without qualification, because good intention could breed bad results, and bad intention could result in goodness; therefore subjectively comparing good and bad were problematic when it came to universality. A related factor is the value on human dignity and autonomy; Kant emphasized that lying was always morally wrong, because it removed the intrinsic human value of free, rational choice. Respecting that value in oneself and others was the ethical option (Mazur, 1993). Kant’s categorical imperative stated: “I should never act except in such a way that I can also will that my maxim should become a...
Words: 600 - Pages: 3
...must fulfill that role of coordinating and overseeing the work of others. What Is Management? ✓ Define management. ✓ Explain why efficiency and effectiveness are important to management. Management involves coordinating and overseeing the efficient and effective completion of others’ work activities. Efficiency means doing things right; effectiveness means doing the right things. (See Exhibit 1-2.) What Do Managers Do? ✓ Describe the four functions of management. ✓ Explain Mintzberg’s managerial roles. ✓ Describe Katz’s three managerial skills and how the importance of these skills changes depending on managerial level. ✓ Discuss the changes that are impacting manager’s jobs. ✓ Explain why customer service and innovation are important to the manager’s job. According to the functions approach, managers plan, organize, lead, and control. (See Exhibit 1-3.) According to the roles approach, managers engage in specific categories of behavior as they play interpersonal roles, decisional roles, and decisional roles. (See Exhibit 1-4.) According to the skills approach, managers need technical, human, and conceptual skills to perform the duties and activities associated with being a manager. (See Exhibit 1-5.) However, because of changing technology...
Words: 485 - Pages: 2
...Name Professor Course Date of Submission What Does Political Science Tell Us about Political Parties? Politics is a study that embroils both humanistic and scientific facets of socio-economic and political establishments. As a social science discipline, political science is concerned primary with the studies of states, nations, communities, parties, and policies that form them (Farrell, Webb, and Janda par. 2). Political Science advocates for a systematic, scientific, and fastidious efforts to explore human behavior and actions that have shaped political history and democratic processes. Moreover, political science as a study does not only prepare individuals for employment, but also for survival, given its efficacy in making informed citizenry who has the capacity to participate in the political processes within political parties or interest groups (Freeman par. 12). In addition, political science seeks to expand the scope of political advocacy. As a result, the study pursues community organization and service by the elected or appointed officials to the people. Therefore, political science is the power behind the formation of political parties, and its efficacy is usually instrumental in revealing the underlying relationships between political events and the conditions that generate them (Janos par. 7). In essence, political science seeks to construct the general principles for which societal politics works in line with political parties and the policies under which...
Words: 2014 - Pages: 9
...are the challenges for a universal conception of human rights? AIR234: Order and Justice in World Politics Brian Introduction Human rights…are those rights and privileges held to belong to any person, regardless of any provision that may or may not exist for them in their legal system, simply because, as a human being, there are things which they may not be forbidden by any government. Exactly what the list of these rights is, or why we are entitled to them, varies from thinker to thinker.[1] Human rights are rights to which every person is entitled simply by virtue of being a human living in a society of other humans. Among these are the right to life, liberty, and the security of the person.[2] Challenges for a Universal Conception of Human Rights: The most intense debate among human rights in the past two decades has been dichotomy between Universalists and cultural relativists. Just as development or modernizations theories presumed a “transition” from traditional to industrial society; it was frequently assumed by universities that non-western cultures will gradually evolve so that the Universalist doctrine of human rights will prevail. Challenges for a Universal conception of Human rights presuppose the value of autonomy, which would lead to some variation in human-rights practice in different cultural and socio-economic conditions. The most difficult case is that in which those who are victims of human-rights violations support the culture that legitimates...
Words: 1721 - Pages: 7
...Charmaine Williams Professor Gordon Sociology January 21, 2015 The five enduring issues that draw Psychologists together are person versus situation, heredity versus environment, or nature versus nurture, stability versus change, diversity versus universality, and mind versus body. Each of these issues pertain in one or more ways in a person’s life, although not everyone is aware so it is not really something we pay attention to unless we really have to. These issue together are the issues that psychologist from all divisions of the science feel need to be investigated because they will help us to understand what it means to be human. In order to relate any of these issues in my life I must first understand the meaning of each issue, or what each issue is trying to prove and then try to apply specific instances in my life that one or even all of these issues apply to me. Person verses situation. The best way to define this issue is do I believe that I control what happens in my life good or bad, or do good and/or bad things happen because of the people and things I surround myself with the cause of my good and/or bad circumstances? Now that I am an adult, I am in control of many of the things in my life. Society controls the rules and regulations that we follow to keep everyone safe, and society running smoothly. I am in control of what happens to myself to a certain extent. If I put myself or allow someone else to put me in a harmful situation, and something bad happens...
Words: 791 - Pages: 4
...google.com.mx about what are the human rights, I finally found a website (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pages/WhatareHumanRights.aspx) where it defines the term and also describes some of the main ideas of what involves human rights. Then, went back to www.google.com and searched information about the human rights to the health care and found the website http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs323/en/ that is the same as OMS, but in English. What are human rights? Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible. Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the forms of treaties, customary international law, general principles and other sources of international law. International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups. Universal and inalienable the principle of universality of human rights is the cornerstone of international human rights law. This principle, as first emphasized in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948, has been reiterated in numerous international human rights conventions, declarations, and...
Words: 1657 - Pages: 7
