Human Rights

Human Rights, now in its fourth edition, is an introductory text that explores the interdisciplinary nature of human rights, tracing the history of the concept and examining the tensions between legal, philosophical, and social-scientific approaches. It engages with recent developments and is widely admired for its clarity and comprehensiveness, making it a valuable resource for students in the social sciences and human-rights law.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 11 February 2022
Publisher: Polity Press

Human Rights, now in its fourth edition, is an introductory text that is both innovative and challenging. Its unique interdisciplinary approach invites students to think imaginatively and rigorously about one of the most important and influential political concepts of our time.

Tracing the history of the concept, the book shows that there are fundamental tensions between legal, philosophical, and social-scientific approaches to human rights. This analysis throws light on some of the most controversial issues in the field: What are the causes of human-rights violations? Is the idea of universal human rights consistent with respect for cultural difference? Are we living in a 'post-human rights world?

Thoroughly revised and updated, the new edition engages with recent developments, including the Trump and Biden presidencies, colonial legacies, neoliberalism, conflict in Syria, Yemen, and Myanmar, the Covid-19 pandemic, new technologies, and the supposed crisis of liberal democracy. Widely admired and assigned for its clarity and comprehensiveness, this book remains a 'go-to text for students in the social sciences, as well as students of human-rights law who want an introduction to the non-legal aspects of their subject.

Weight: 338g
Dimension: 136 x 217 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509546046
Edition number: 4th Edition