PSCI 3307 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Asean Declaration, Asian Values, Cultural Relativism
8 Jun 2018
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January 26, 2018
Week 3
Universalism: definition and arguments
definition of universalism of human rights (how to denounce human rights abuse without..)
• Universalism is the theory that there exits some set of standards with all cultures espouse
these, universal principles transcend cultural differences and serve as the authority for
adopting international human rights.
- Universal applicability→ if it is right for someone, then it is right or wrong from
everyone else, it is the universalist perspective for everyone else.
Three modes of universality of human rights
• International legal universality
- 88% ratification rate for all major covenants and treaties→ 170 countries in the world
agreeing to ratifying the treaties, from a legal perspective at least to have countries
ratify these treaties.
• Overlapping consensus universality
- Convergence thesis: there might be different or incompatible views of universality,
however, people can still find minimal ground such as torture, punishment.
• Functional universality
- Human Rights= preferred response and most effective to date.
(Donnelly, universal human rights in theory and practice)
Universalities perspective: main criticism.
• Limits of legalism
- In short, legal universality is not a strong document, the limit is national sovereignty.
- Interpretations of the legal terms.
• Liberal imprint of universalist theory
- The point of the WD (white dude).
- some liberal values, that democracy is the best regime.. we assume that private
property is the best value.
- Imposing liberalism on some counties.
• Marxist critique
Cultural relativism: foundations and arguments
• Civilization is not something absolute, but is relative, and our ideas and conceptions are
true only so for as our civilization goes.
• Definition of cultural relativism
- Cultural relativism can described, in its simplest form, as the theory that there is
infinite cultural diversity and that all cultural practices are equally valid.
→ there are many cultural beyond what people realize and the idea that people should
not judge or criticize other cultures.
Social constructionism (reaction to foundation list, universalistic approach.
• It is a critique of universality→ human rights is an institution that is specific to cultural
and historical context, just like any other and that its very universality is itself a human
construction.
→ main concept: social life of rights.
• Conclusion
- Rights are condition not absolute.
- They depend upon interests of individual, groups and states.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Universal applicability if it is right for someone, then it is right or wrong from everyone else, it is the universalist perspective for everyone else. 88% ratification rate for all major covenants and treaties 170 countries in the world agreeing to ratifying the treaties, from a legal perspective at least to have countries ratify these treaties: overlapping consensus universality. Convergence thesis: there might be different or incompatible views of universality, however, people can still find minimal ground such as torture, punishment: functional universality. Human rights= preferred response and most effective to date. (donnelly, universal human rights in theory and practice) Universalities perspective: main criticism: limits of legalism. In short, legal universality is not a strong document, the limit is national sovereignty. Interpretations of the legal terms: liberal imprint of universalist theory. The point of the wd (white dude). some liberal values, that democracy is the best regime we assume that private property is the best value.
