Feminist Human Rights: A Political Approach

Kristen Hessler's book "Feminist Human Rights: A Political Approach" argues that philosophical human rights theory should focus on the multiple moral visions of human rights that animate the practice. She demonstrates how the activism of marginalized groups can expose unjust social hierarchies and contribute to a fuller theoretical understanding of human rights morality. Hessler's case study of the jurisprudence on crimes of rape and sexual violence in international criminal tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia shows how this process of legal and social reform illuminates human rights morality in light of women's experiences.

Format: Hardback
Length: 190 pages
Publication date: 20 June 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

In her groundbreaking work, Feminist Human Rights: A Political Approach, Kristen Hessler takes a bold and innovative approach to the study of human rights. She argues that the primary responsibility of philosophical human rights theory is to explore the diverse and often conflicting moral visions that underpin the practice of human rights. Through a broadly pragmatist methodology, Hessler demonstrates how marginalized groups can use activism to expose unjust social hierarchies hidden by entrenched ideologies, leading to a deeper understanding of human rights morality.

This more inclusive process not only overcomes significant barriers to the fulfillment of human rights in practice but also contributes to a more comprehensive theoretical understanding of human rights morality in the abstract.

Hessler's analysis is particularly insightful in her close examination of an extended case study involving the jurisprudence on crimes of rape and sexual violence in the ad hoc international criminal tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. By centering the voices of women who testify about their experiences of violence, Hessler challenges the dominant narratives and insists on their rightful accountability. Through this process, the tribunals initiated a profound legal and social reform that shed light on human rights morality in the context of long-ignored realities of women's experiences.

In conclusion, Feminist Human Rights: A Political Approach by Kristen Hessler is a seminal work that challenges traditional perspectives on human rights and offers a fresh and compelling vision for the future. Through her rigorous analysis and innovative approach, Hessler demonstrates how marginalized groups can use activism to expose injustices, promote social reform, and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of human rights morality. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in advancing the cause of human rights and promoting gender equality.

Weight: 431g
Dimension: 237 x 159 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781498592307