THE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN RIGHTS: THE CONTEMPORARY DEBATE
Anno accademico 2021/2022 - 2° annoCrediti: 6
SSD: SPS/01 - Filosofia politica
Organizzazione didattica: 150 ore d'impegno totale, 114 di studio individuale, 36 di lezione frontale
Semestre: 2°
Modalità di svolgimento dell'insegnamento
The course presupposes active participation. Students are required to select at least one text from the reading list and present it to their colleagues. Classes will be run as seminars: it is expected that students read the material before class and participate in the discussion of the material presented. In addition to in-class presentations, students are required to write a 10-15 page final paper on a topic relevant to the course, and to take a final oral exam.
Prerequisiti richiesti
Good knowledge of the English language
Frequenza lezioni
Mandatory (students can skip max 25% of class)
Contenuti del corso
Although discussions about international issues often make reference to the notion of Human Rights – the war in Syria and the ensuing migration of refugees, the killing of demonstrators in Myanmar, the shortage of anti-covid vaccines for poor countries are obvious examples – the philosophical foundations of these rights, their claim to cross-cultural universality, their ability to be a sort of secularized religion of mankind are controversial. This class aims to introduce students to the philosophical debate on the foundational issue and to stimulate independent yet informed thinking.
Testi di riferimento
1) Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M., “The Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. An Overview”, in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.1-23.
2) Raz, Joseph, “Human Rights Without Foundations”, The Philosophy of International Law (henceforth PIL), OUP, 2010: 321-337.
3) Buchanan, A. "Why International Legal Human Rights? “The Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. An Overview”, in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.244-262.
4) Waldron, J., "Is Dignity the Foundation of Human Rights?" in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.117-137.
5) Simmons, J. "Human Rights, Natural Rights, Human Dignity" in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.138-152.
6) Cristiano, Thomas “Self-Determination and the Human Right to Democracy” in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.459-480.
7) Peter, Fabienne, “A Human Rights to Democracy?”, in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.481-491.
8) Buchanan, Allen, “The Egalitarianism of Human Rights”, Ethics, Vol. 120, No. 4 (July 2010), pp. 679-710.
9) Li, Xiarong “Asian Values and the Universality of Human Rights” PHR, p.397-408
10) An-Nai’im, Abdullahi A., “Human Rights in the Muslim World”, PHR, p.315-334
11) Held, Virginia Care and Human Rights? in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.624-641
12) Mendus, Susan Care and Human Rights. A Reply to Virginia Held, in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.642-652
13) “The Responsibility to Protect”, available on line (http://responsibilitytoprotect.org/ICISS%20Report.pdf). In particular p. 1-28.
14) “The Responsibility to Protect”, available on line (http://responsibilitytoprotect.org/ICISS%20Report.pdf). In particular p. 29-55.
Programmazione del corso
| Argomenti | Riferimenti testi | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | each paper listed as mandatory reading in the syllabus | |
| 2 | Introduction | Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M., “The Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. An Overview”, in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.1-23 |
| 3 | Human Rights without foundations? | Raz, Joseph, “Human Rights Without Foundations”, (Besson, S. Tasioulas J. eds) The Philosophy of International Law (henceforth PIL), OUP, 2010: 321-337 |
| 4 | International human Rights Vs Human Rights | Buchanan, A. "Why International Legal Human Rights? “The Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. An Overview”, in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.244-262 |
| 5 | Human Dignity and Human Rights | Waldron, J., "Is Dignity the Foundation of Human Rights?" in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.117-137. |
| 6 | Natural Rights and Human Rights | Simmons, J. "Human Rights, Natural Rights, Human Dignity" in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.138-152. |
| 7 | Democracy, Equality and Human Rights: Critiques and Interpretations | Cristiano, Thomas “Self-Determination and the Human Right to Democracy” in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.459-480. |
| 8 | Democracy, Equality and Human Rights: Critiques and Interpretations | Peter, Fabienne, “A Human Rights to Democracy?”, in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.481-491. |
| 9 | Democracy, Equality and Human Rights: Critiques and Interpretations | Buchanan, Allen, “The Egalitarianism of Human Rights”, Ethics, Vol. 120, No. 4 (July 2010), pp. 679-710. |
| 10 | Universalism, Pluralism, Multiculturalism: the Asian and the Islamic Challenges | Li, Xiarong “Asian Values and the Universality of Human Rights” In: P. Hayden (ed.) The Philosophy of Human Rights (Henceforth PHR), Paragon House 2001: p.397-408 |
| 11 | Universalism, Pluralism, Multiculturalism: the Asian and the Islamic Challenges | An-Nai’im, Abdullahi A., “Human Rights in the Muslim World”, PHR, p.315-334 |
| 12 | The Feminist Critique: Are Human Rights Patriarchal? | Held, Virginia Care and Human Rights? in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.624-641 |
| 13 | The Feminist Critique: Are Human Rights Patriarchal? | Mendus, Susan Care and Human Rights. A Reply to Virginia Held, in Cruft R., Liao S. M., and Renzo M. (eds.) Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. Oxford: 2015, p.642-652 |
| 14 | Right to Intervention and Responsibility to Protect | The Responsibility to Protect”, available on line (http://responsibilitytoprotect.org/ICISS%20Report.pdf). In particular p. 1-55 |
| 15 | Right to Intervention and Responsibility to Protect | Bellamy, Alex “Responsibility to Protect or Trojan Horse? The Crisis in Darfur and Humanitarian Intervention after Iraq” (Ethics & International Affairs, 19(2), 31-54. doi:10.1111/j.1747-7093.2005.tb00499.x) |
| 16 | Right to Intervention and Responsibility to Protect | Petra Perisic, “Implications of the Conflicts in Libya and Syria for the Responsibility to Protect Doctrine” 67(5) Zbornik PFZ 783 (2017) |
Verifica dell'apprendimento
Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento
Assessment will take place by looking at four aspects of students’ performance: 1) Participation in class, 2) Presentation, 3) Final paper, 4) Final exam
Grade Weights:
Participation in class: 25%
Presentation: 25%
Final paper: 25%
Final exam: 25%
Esempi di domande e/o esercizi frequenti
1) what is Christiano's argument for the existenc eof a human right to democracy?
2) how would you differentiate the instrumentalist, orthodox, political approach to the foundation of human rights
3) how is the questino of the foundation different from that of the nature of human rights?
4) Are yo convinced by Woldron's account of dignity as an organizing concept for human rights?
5) what is teh egalitarianism of human rigts on which Allen Buchanan insists?
6) Should human rights be protected through the use of force, at leats in some cases? what is your assessment of the R2P doctrine?