Human rights and the rights of states: a relational account

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariel Zylberman

AbstractWhat is the relationship between human rights and the rights of states? Roughly, while cosmopolitans insist that international morality must regard as basic the interests of individuals, statists maintain that the state is of fundamental moral significance. This article defends a relational version of statism. Human rights are ultimately grounded in a relational norm of reciprocal independence and set limits to the exercise of public authority, but, contra the cosmopolitan, the state is of fundamental moral significance. A relational account promises to justify a limited conception of state sovereignty while avoiding the familiar cosmopolitan criticisms of statist accounts.

This collection brings together scholars of jurisprudence and political theory to probe the question of ‘legitimacy’. It offers discussions that interrogate the nature of legitimacy, how legitimacy is intertwined with notions of statehood, and how legitimacy reaches beyond the state into supranational institutions and international law. Chapter I considers benefit-based, merit-based, and will-based theories of state legitimacy. Chapter II examines the relationship between expertise and legitimate political authority. Chapter III attempts to make sense of John Rawls’s account of legitimacy in his later work. Chapter IV observes that state sovereignty persists, since no alternative is available, and that the success of the assortment of international organizations that challenge state sovereignty depends on their ability to attract loyalty. Chapter V argues that, to be complete, an account of a state’s legitimacy must evaluate not only its powers and its institutions, but also its officials. Chapter VI covers the rule of law and state legitimacy. Chapter VII considers the legitimation of the nation state in a post-national world. Chapter VIII contends that legitimacy beyond the state should be understood as a subject-conferred attribute of specific norms that generates no more than a duty to respect those norms. Chapter IX is a reply to critics of attempts to ground the legitimacy of suprastate institutions in constitutionalism. Chapter X examines Joseph Raz’s perfectionist liberalism. Chapter XI attempts to bring some order to debates about the legitimacy of international courts.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-96
Author(s):  
Ronagh JA McQuigg

The European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 has now been in force in Ireland for ten years. This article analyses the Act itself and the impact which it has had on the Irish courts during the first decade of its operation. The use of the European Convention on Human Rights in the Irish courts prior to the enactment of the legislation is discussed, as are the reasons for the passing of the Act. The relationship between the Act and the Irish Constitution is examined, as is the jurisprudence of the Irish courts towards the interpretative obligation found in section 2(1), and the duty placed upon organs of the State by section 3(1). The article ends with a number of observations regarding the impact which the Act has had on the Irish courts at a more general level. Comparisons will be drawn with the uk’s Human Rights Act 1998 throughout the discussion.


Author(s):  
Olga Shpakovych ◽  
Sofia Penkovska

The article presents the result of theoretical and practical study of the relationship between state sovereignty and supranationalityof international organizations. In particular, it is determined that the phenomenon of supranationality of international organizations isderived from state sovereignty and acts as its external law. It has been shown that, in view of this, supranationality is limited becauseit arises through the exercise of sovereignty by states, and, accordingly, is limited by the amount of state sovereignty exercised by states.The relevant mechanism has also been studied on the example of the functioning of the European Union.Regarding the theoretical results, the following should be noted. First, it was proved that despite the different approaches of scho -lars to the understanding of supranationality, definitions of this concept and the separation of its features (properties), in each case,supranationality is a direct realization of state sovereignty. At the same time, the realization of state sovereignty in relation to such pro -perties of international organizations as supranational is primary, and supranationality in this case is derivative. In addition, the phenomenonof supranationality of international organizations due to the fact that it is derived is limited, because supranationality arisesthrough the exercise of sovereignty by states, and, accordingly, is limited by the amount of state sovereignty exercised by states. Thatis why when analyzing the relationship between the supranationality of international organizations and state sovereignty, one cannotconsider the priority of one of the two, because supranationality is in essence a manifestation of state sovereignty.Regarding the practical results, the author considers it appropriate to emphasize that both the regional international organization –the EU was studied, and, at the same time, it was proved that all theoretical provisions were reflected in practice, in particular, envisagedfunctions, goals and the tasks of the studied international organizations are limited in scope by the manifestation of sovereignty shownby states, similar to the regulations issued by organizations. Another indication that the state can exercise its sovereignty in any case isthat there is an effective and transparent procedure for leaving these organizations


Author(s):  
Daniel J. Hemel

This chapter suggests a human rights–based justification for national basic income schemes, contrasting it with justifications based on welfarist principles or notions of entitlement to a share of the global commons. Starting from the premise that a state is a collective enterprise that generates a surplus, it contends that any human being who is an “obedient” member of that state has a right to some share of the surplus. That right—which arises from the relationship between the individual and the state, and is independent of need—could justify the entitlement to a basic income. Such income should be provided in cash, not in kind, because the latter risks depriving the individual of the enjoyment of his share of the surplus—in effect, forcing him to forfeit or transfer it to others if he does not use the public goods or services provided by the state.


Author(s):  
Bielefeldt Heiner, Prof ◽  
Ghanea Nazila, Dr ◽  
Wiener Michael, Dr

This chapter discusses various human rights violations that arise in the context of constructing, owning, accessing, using, protecting, and preserving places of worship or other religious sites. When members of religious communities wish to construct and own places of worship they often face restrictions that are imposed by the State or competing claims by other religious communities. In this context, the conversion of places of worship as well as their confiscation and unfair restitution provisions may lead to further problems for religious communities. Furthermore, access to religious sites and their use is often unduly restricted by the State, impeded in practice by non-State actors, or hampered by religious precepts which discriminate against some people within the same religious or belief community. The chapter also discusses issues of interpretation, including the relationship between international human rights law and international humanitarian law in the context of religious sites, the obligations of various duty-bearers, and sacred sites of indigenous peoples.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Kilza Fernanda Moreira de Viveiros

Artigo trata na construção de reflexões e proposições sobre a relação da educação, direitos humanos e formação de professores para atuarem na educação básica. Aborda a relação entre o poder político e a sociedade a partir da análise do Estado como instância promotora de direitos e pelos mecanismos que o mesmo se apodera para forjá-los na educação. Analisa o papel das reformas curriculares em conformidade às políticas dominantes. Discute a formação de professores e sua relação com a pobreza, com as desigualdades sociais e direitos humanos. Os fundamentos que norteiam as análises são do campo de conhecimento educacional e pedagógico. Para elucidações contextuais apropria-se de referencial sócio histórico, das políticas educacionais e políticas curriculares. Permite o diálogo com o objeto da formação e atuação de professores na área dos direitos humanos. Artigo se organiza metodologicamente em cinco tópicos a saber: Introdução, O Estado e a promoção de direitos, Currículo enquanto princípio político, Formação de professores para os direitos humanos e Considerações. Conclui ponderando a importância do papel do Estado na promoção dos direitos humanos a partir de políticas públicas comprometidas com a educação e com a formação de professores para o trabalho com os vulneráveis, as desigualdades sociais e os direitos humanos. Também chama a atenção da educação para os direitos humanos nos diferentes níveis e modalidades de ensino, expansiva à comunidade escolar.Palavras-chave: Educação. Direitos humanos. Formação de Professores. Estado. Currículo.EDUCATION, HUMAN RIGHTS AND TEACHER TRAINING: reflections and propositions.AbstractArticle deals in the construction of reflections and propositions on the relationship of education, human rights and teacher training to work in basic education. It addresses the relationship between political power and society based on the analysis of the State as a promoter of rights and the mechanisms it takes to forge them in education. It analyses the role of curricular reforms in line with dominant policies. It discusses teacher education and its relation to poverty, social inequalities and human rights. The foundations that guide the analyses are the field of educational and pedagogical knowledge. For contextual elucidations it appropriates the socio-historical reference, educational policies and curricular policies. It allows dialogue with the subject of the training and action of teachers in the area of human rights. Article is organized methodologically in five topics: Introduction, The State and the promotion of rights, Curriculum as a political principle, Training of teachers for human rights and Considerations. He concludes by considering the importance of the role of the State in the promotion of human rights from public policies committed to education and teacher training for working with the vulnerable, social inequalities and human rights. It also draws the attention of education for human rights in the different levels and modalities of education, expansive to the school community.Keywords: Education. Human rights. Teacher Training. State. Curriculum.EDUCACIÓN, DERECHOS HUMANOS Y FORMACIÓN DE PROFESSORES: reflexiones y proposicionesResumenArtículo trata en la construcción de reflexiones y proposiciones sobre la relación de la educación, derechos humanos y formación del professora do para actuar en la educación básica. Aborda la relación entre el poder político y la sociedad a partir del análisis del Estado como instancia promotora de derechos y por los mecanismos que el mismo se apodera para forjarlos en la educación. Analiza el papel de las reformas curriculares en consonancia con las políticas dominantes. Discute la formación de profesores y su relación con la pobreza, con las desigualdades sociales y derechos humanos. Los fundamentos que guían los análisis son del campo de conocimiento educativo y pedagógico. Para aclaraciones contextuales se apropia de un marco socio histórico, políticas educativas y políticas curriculares. Permite el diálogo con el objeto de formar y actuar a los docentes en el área de derechos humanos. El artículo se organiza metodológicamente en cinco temas, a saber: Introducción, El Estado y la promoción de los derechos, El currículo como principio político, La formación del profesorado en derechos humanos y Consideraciones. Se concluye considerando la importancia del papel del Estado en la promoción de los derechos humanos a partir de políticas públicas comprometidas con la educación y la formación de docentes para trabajar con las personas vulnerables, las desigualdades sociales y los derechos humanos. También llama la atención de la educación en materia de derechos humanos en los diferentes niveles y modalidades de educación, expandiéndose a la comunidad escolar.Palabras clave: Educación. Derechos humanos. Formación del profesorado. Estado. Plan de estudios.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-60
Author(s):  
Pavel Ondrejek

Abstract: Positive obligations of States to protect and implement human rights are considered a part of various effects of human rights in legislations. In this article, it is argued that a crucial problem arises from the inconsistent practice of addressing violations of human rights committed by juristic persons together with a lack of underlying general theory of liability for human rights violations committed by private entities. Without a major change in the legal doctrine and case-law, we will need to remain focused on the role of the State as a guarantor of human rights, rather than on the imposition of human rights obligations on private-law entities. In this article, it is argued that the nature of the relationship between a juristic person and the State is not the only relevant aspect, as we should also examine the activity of the juristic person in question.Keywords: Positive obligations of States. Juristic persons. State-juristic person nexus. Fundamental rights. Horizontal effect.Resumo: Obrigações estatais positivas de proteger e de implementar direitos humanos são parte dos vários efeitos dos direitos humanos nas legislações nacionais. Neste artigo, argumenta-se que um problema crucial decorre da prática de abordar violações de direitos humanos cometidas por pessoas jurídicas sem uma teoria geral da responsabilidade por violações de direitos humanos cometidas por entidades privadas. Sem uma mudança importante na doutrina e na jurisprudência será preciso permanecer olhando apenas para o papel do Estado como garantidor de direitos humanos. Neste artigo argumenta-se que a natureza da relação entre uma pessoa jurídica e o Estado não é o único aspecto relevante. É preciso examinar também a atividade da pessoa jurídica em questão.Palavras-chave: Obrigações positivas dos Estados. Pessoas jurídicas.


Author(s):  
Suzy Killmister

Contours of Dignity develops a theory geared towards explaining the complex and varied role dignity plays in our moral lives. This includes the relationship between dignity and respect; the ways in which shame and humiliation can constitute dignity violations; and the relationship between dignity and human rights. Dignity, according to this theory, comes in three strands: personal dignity, social dignity, and status dignity. Each strand involves a specific form of respect. On the one hand, personal dignity involves self-respect while social and status dignity involve the respect of others. On the other hand, personal and social dignity both involve appraisal respect, while status dignity involves recognition respect. With these distinctions in hand, Contours of Dignity then explores the moral significance of dignity, offering a novel explanation of the source and scope of individuals’ claims to have their dignity respected. The book concludes with a discussion of the relationship between dignity and human rights, arguing that we should understand human dignity as a social construct, but one that nonetheless vindicates the human rights project.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (13) ◽  
pp. 176-189
Author(s):  
Fernando Gómez Forero

El presente artículo sobre la situación actual de las cárce- les, se ocupa específicamente de lo relacionado con el ha- cinamiento y las posibles alternativas para su superación. El objetivo es hacer un análisis crítico sobre el verdadero nivel de hacinamiento en que se encuentran ahora los cen- tros penitenciarios, y la relación que existe con la protec- ción de los derechos humanos por parte del Estado, como un imperativo que requiere de su pleno cumplimiento. Esta problemática es una situación permanente, recurren- te y con tendencia a profundizarse, lo que ha ocasiona- do una crisis en materia del derecho internacional de los derechos humanos, que ha supuesto necesariamente una responsabilidad del Estado, producto sin duda del estado de cosas inconstitucional que fue establecido por la Corte Constitucional a través de la sentencia T-153 de 1998. Las conclusiones reflejan en su conjunto el alto nivel de inefi- ciencia con la que se ha actuado por parte del ejecutivo y el legislativo en la solución de la crisis de hacinamiento car- celario y la necesidad de emprender acciones afirmativas, libres del discurso propositivo, que no hace otra cosa que simplificar el problema pero no solucionarlo.This article, about the current situation of prisons, spe- cifically related to prison overcrowding and alternatives to overcome them, are part of the goal to make a critical analysis of the true level of overcrowding in which are now centers prisons and the relationship with the protec- tion of Human Rights by the State as an imperative that requires full compliance, this is a permanent, recurrent and tend to deepen situation, which has caused a crisis in the International Law of Human Rights (HR), which has necessarily meant a state liability in this situation, as a re- sult without question of “Unconstitutional Things in the State” established by the Constitutional Court through the final desition T-153 of 1998. The closures as a whole reflect of the high level of inefficiency with which action has been taken by the Executive and legislative branches in the solution of the overcrowding crisis in prisons and the need to undertake purposeful assertive speech affir- mative action, which does nothing to simplify the problem but not in solving it. 


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