Human Rights

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Keown
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Trojan Horse ◽  
Asian Values ◽  
Common Foundation ◽  
Western Values

Engaged Buddhists typically voice strong support for human rights, but not everyone is persuaded that Western concepts like ‘rights’ and ‘human rights’ are compatible with Buddhist teachings. While globalization has weakened claims that ‘Asian values’ are radically distinctive, the suspicion lingers that human rights are a ‘Trojan horse’ for hegemonic Western values. Fears are also expressed that the individualism implicit in ‘rights’ promotes egocentricity and conflict rather than selflessness and social cohesion. Here we explore first the conceptual compatibility of human rights with Buddhist teachings, before considering some proposed doctrinal foundations. The conclusion will suggest a way of grounding these different proposals in a common foundation.

Is There a Place for Minorities' and Indigenous Peoples' Rights within ASEAN?: Asian Values, ASEAN Values and the Protection of Southeast Asian Minorities and Indigenous Peoples

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byung Sook de Vries ◽  
Anna Meijknecht
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Asian Values ◽  
Minority Protection ◽  
The World ◽  
The One

AbstractSoutheast Asia is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world. Nevertheless, unlike minorities and indigenous peoples in Western states, minorities and indigenous peoples in Asia have never received much attention from politicians or legal scholars. The level of minority protection varies from state to state, but can, in general, be called insufficient. At the regional level, for instance, within the context of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), there are no mechanisms devoted specifically to the protection of minorities and indigenous peoples. In December 2008, the ASEAN Charter entered into force. In July 2009 the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights were adopted. Both the Charter and the ToR refer to human rights and to cultural diversity, but omit to refer explicitly to minorities or indigenous peoples. In this article, the extent to which this reticence with regard to the protection of minorities and indigenous peoples is dictated by the concept of Asian values and ASEAN values is explored. Further, it is analysed how, instead, ASEAN seeks to accommodate the enormous cultural diversity of this region of the world within its system. Finally, the tenability of ASEAN's policy towards minorities and indigenous peoples in the light of, on the one hand, the requirements of international legal instruments concerning the protection of minorities and indigenous peoples and, on the other hand, the policies of the national states that are members of ASEAN is determined.

scholarly journals Pulling us apart? The association between fear of crime and social cohesion in South Africa

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Roberts ◽  
Steven L. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Fear Of Crime ◽  
Social Trust ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Social Fabric ◽  
Perceptions Of Safety ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Adverse Influence

Fear of crime, like crime itself, is thought to be a factor that constrains efforts by government and non-state actors at promoting socially cohesive communities and a caring society. As concern  over South Africa's social fabric have mounted, increasing policy attention has been directed at perceptions of safety and nation-building. In this study, we use nationally representative survey data to examine recent theoretical models on the link between fear of crime and social cohesion within communities. The results do not offer strong support for the hypothesis that higher fear of crime is associated with lower levels of social trust, neighbouthood ties and civic cohesion, although fear does have a moderate, adverse influence on attitudes towards law enforcement.

International comparisons of COVID-19 case and mortality data and the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions: a plea for reconsideration

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Stephen Thomson ◽  
Eric C. Ip ◽  
Shing Fung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Public Support ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Media Reporting ◽  
Pharmaceutical Interventions

Abstract International comparisons of the effectiveness of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) based on national case and mortality data are fraught with underestimated complexity. This article calls for stronger attention to just how extensive is the multifactorial nature of national case and mortality data, and argues that, unless a globally consistent benchmark of measurement can be devised, such comparisons are facile, if not misleading. This can lead to policy decisions and public support for the adoption of potentially harmful NPIs that are ineffective in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and damaging to mental health, social cohesion, human rights and economic development. The unscientific use of international comparisons of case and mortality data in public discourse, media reporting and policymaking on NPI effectiveness should be subject to greater scrutiny.

Asian Values and Human Rights

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wm. Theodore de Bary
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Asian Values
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