Description
Book SynopsisHuman rights have become a defining feature of contemporary society, permeating public discourse on politics, law and culture. But why did human rights emerge as a key social force in our time and what is the relationship between rights and the structures of both national and international society? By highlighting the institutional and socio-cultural context of human rights, this timely and thought-provoking collection provides illuminating insights into the emergence and contemporary societal significance of human rights. Drawn from both sides of the Atlantic and adhering to refreshingly different theoretical orientations, the contributors to this volume show how sociology can develop our understanding of human rights and how the emergence of human rights relates to classical sociological questions such as social change, modernisation or state formation. Making Human Rights Intelligible provides an important sociological account of the development of international human rights. It will be of interest to human rights scholars and sociologists of law and anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of one of the most significant issues of our time.
Table of Contents1. Making Human Rights Intelligible: An Introduction to a Sociology of Human Rights Mikael Rask Madsen and Gert Verschraegen PART I – SOCIOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDINGS OF HUMAN RIGHTS 2. State Building, Constitutional Rights and the Social Construction of Norms: Outline for a Sociology of Constitutions Chris Thornhill 3. Differentiation and Inclusion: A Neglected Sociological Approach to Fundamental Rights Gert Verschraegen 4. Beyond Prescription: Towards a Reflexive Sociology of Human Rights Mikael Rask Madsen 5. Human Rights between Brute Fact and Articulated Aspiration Paul Stenner 6. International Human Rights versus Democracy Promotion: On Two Different Meanings of Human Rights in US Foreign Policy Nicolas Guilhot 7. Towards a Socio-legal Analysis of the European Convention on Human Rights Steven Greer 8. In Defence of Societies Judith Blau and Alberto Moncada PART II – HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF KEY INSTITUTIONS OF MODERN SOCIETY 9. From Citizenship to Human Rights to Human Rights Education Francisco O Ramirez and Rennie Moon 10. (Human) Rights and Solidarity: Restructuring the National Welfare Space Frederik Thuesen 11. Adapting Locally to International Health and Human Rights Standards: An Alternative Theoretical Framework for Progressive Realisation Lesley A Jacobs 12. 'Legal Form' and the Purchase of Human Rights Discourse in Domestic Policy-Making: The Achievement of Same-Sex Marriage in Canada Luke McNamara 13. Activating the Law: Exploring the Legal Responses of NGOs to Gross Rights Violations Loveday Hodson 14. The Complexities of Human Rights Implementation within the Costa Rican Police System Quirine Eijkman
