What is a 21st Century Human Right?
What is a 21st Century Human Right?
This question has been asked before, not least by our Keynote speaker, Dr Anja Mihr, in a book she co-edited on the topic (we'd start any pre-conference reading here!).
Somewhere between the end of the Second World War and the turn of the century, people began to ask whether Human Rights, those concepts we filled with our hope and resolve after 1945 as an international community, were effective in the face of old horrors repeating, and new horrors emerging.
Were we doing more harm than good by pretending the Human Rights adenga held the answer to our dealings with each other as human beings? Were they really an 'internatonal' or 'transnational' concept, or just more jargon from the Western Super Powers of the 20th century, versed in out-dated political theory?
As soon as you get onto the topic of Human Rights, it is easy to ask questions. People have failed expectations, but expectations nonetheless about how far words in certain formal documents can create a tangible protection for the interests, obligations, needs, rights we stand together and label: human.
Our aim for this Conference is quite simple: use real-life examples and listen to speakers from a cross-section of subject areas and geographies to test, in as pragmatic and critcal way as one can in an area so wrapped up in ideology and conceptual discussion, what a Human Right in the 21st Century is. If we find that the status quo is unsatisfactory, what do we need to do to save 'Human Rights' from the current political criticsm they face (see the start of the video featured below)? On a more positive note, what is satisfactory about the status quo? What helpful features should we study and aim to strengthen as we turn to consider rights that would sound alien to Cyrus the Great, David Maxwell-Fyfe and even Ban Ki Moon?
Finally, in a time when the world is more connected than ever but can feel increasingly disengaged, we want to involve our delegates in the process of getting excited about Human Rights again. Form opinions, share opinions, vote on whether certain rights should be deemed worthy of the normative status 'Human Right' and get involved after the conference in lobbying for any '21st Century Rights' that are voted through by you, the delegates.
Until then, we hope you will refer to this Pre-Conference Blog and use it to test the water or involve others in your current thought processes. We welcome mini articles, links to other articles you find interesting, videos you make, questions you have, comments etc. We would love to hear whatever you have to say.
To contribute either comment on the blog, contact a specific Panel-blog-leader, or contact caroline.greenfield@bnc.ox.ac.uk who can re-direct you as appropriate.
What is a 21st Century Human Right? Your guess is as good as mine.
Join us in looking for some answers.
