Struggles for the Human: Violent Legality and the Politics of Rights

Lara Montesinos Coleman's book "Struggles for the Human" reorients debates on human rights by focusing on understandings of legality, ethics, and humanity in anticapitalist and decolonial struggle. She rejects claims that human rights are inherently tied to capitalism, liberalism, or colonialism and demonstrates how they can be used to combat these forces. Coleman shows how social justice struggles rooted in marginalized communities' lived experiences can redefine human rights to challenge oppressive power structures and offer a blueprint for constructing alternative political economies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 05 January 2024
Publisher: Duke University Press

Lara Montesinos Coleman's groundbreaking work, "Struggles for the Human," delves into a profound exploration of human rights, blending ethnography, political philosophy, and critical theory to reorient our understanding of these vital principles. Through her extensive engagement with grassroots social movements in Colombia, Coleman sheds light on the paradoxical nature of mainstream expressions of human rights, which, while purporting to protect individuals, have inadvertently become allies of capitalist violence. She challenges the notion that human rights are inherently tied to capitalism, liberalism, or colonialism, instead demonstrating how they can be repurposed to combat these oppressive forces.

Coleman's work highlights the transformative potential of human rights by examining their practice of redefining them away from abstract universals and contextualizing them within the lived experiences of marginalized communities. By doing so, she offers a blueprint for constructing alternative political economies that prioritize social justice and equity. Through her compelling analysis, Coleman invites readers to question and reshape dominant legal and ethical narratives, advocating for a more inclusive and just world.

In conclusion, "Struggles for the Human" is a seminal work that challenges our assumptions about human rights and offers a transformative vision for a more just and equitable world. By blending ethnography, political philosophy, and critical theory, Coleman provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the complexities and contradictions surrounding human rights, paving the way for a new era of activism and advocacy.

Weight: 390g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478025566