The History of Human Rights

Micheline Ishay

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Year: 2008
• ISBN:
  9780520934917
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Cultural & Social Anthropology
• Index: Social Sciences

Micheline Ishay recounts the dramatic struggle for human rights across the ages in a book that brilliantly synthesizes historical and intellectual developments from the Mesopotamian Codes of Hammurabi to today's era of globalization. As she chronicles the clash of social movements, ideas, and armies that have played a part in this struggle, Ishay illustrates how the history of human rights has evolved from one era to the next through texts, cultural traditions, and creative expression. Writing with verve and extraordinary range, she develops a framework for understanding contemporary issues from the debate over globalization to the intervention in Kosovo to the climate for human rights after September 11, 2001. The only comprehensive history of human rights available, the book will be essential reading for anyone concerned with humankind's quest for justice and dignity. Ishay structures her chapters around six core questions that have shaped human rights debate and scholarship: What are the origins of human rights? Why did the European vision of human rights triumph over those of other civilizations? Has socialism made a lasting contribution to the legacy of human rights? Are human rights universal or culturally bound? Must human rights be sacrificed to the demands of national security? Is globalization eroding or advancing human rights? As she explores these questions, Ishay also incorporates notable documents—writings, speeches, and political statements—from activists, writers, and thinkers throughout history.

Table of contents

• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface to the 2008 Edition
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. Early Ethical Contributions to Human Rights
• 2. Human Rights and the Enlightenment: The Development of a Liberal and Secular Perspective on Human Rights
• 3. Human Rights and the Industrial Age: The Development of a Socialist Perspective on Human Rights
• 4. The World Wars: The Institutionalization of International Rights and the Right to Self-Determination
• 5. Globalization and Its Impact on Human Rights
• 6. Promoting Human Rights in the Twenty-first Century: The Changing Arena of Struggle
• Appendix: A Chronology of Events and Writings Related to Human Rights
• Notes
• References
• Index