Transcript crosscultural-SE - (Kay) Picart Homepage

Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspectives: A
Quest for Consensus
Edited by Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im
SE
Prepared by:
Dr. Caroline (Kay) Picart
Assistant Professor of English
Courtesy Assistant Professor of Law
Florida State University
Aims:
To arrive at a complex characterization of a
“cross-cultural” approach to the theory and
practice of universal human rights
To excavate the implicit characterizations of
the “international human body” in these
texts
Introduction
Abdullahi Ahmed An Na’im
Questions:
What hampers the
implementation/promotion of the vision of
universal human rights?
How is the international human body
implicitly characterized by this vision of
human rights?
Questions:
How does An-Na’im
characterize “culture”?
Do you agree or
disagree with this
characterization, and
why?
Discussion Question:
Discuss how
effectively An-Na’im
negotiates the
challenges of cultural
relativism and cultural
totalitarianism.
Toward a Cross-Cultural Approach to
Defining International Standards of Human
Rights
Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im
Question:
What is An-Na’im’s
general thesis?
How is the
international human
body characterized
both as an ideal, and
as a current reality?
Question:
How does An-Na’im
see his approach in
relation to past efforts
to deal with the
problem of cultural
relativism in relation
to international human
rights?
Discussion Questions:
What is ethnocentricity?
Is it a moral evil that must
be rooted out in the search
for human rights,
according to An-Na’im?
Do you agree with AnNa’im that “enlightened
ethnocentricity” is the
same as “cultural
relativism”?
Discussion Question: Critique
the following statement.
“The least common denominator of the
universality of morality must include some of its
basic precepts and not be confined to the mere
existence of some form of morality. Moreover, in
accordance with the logic of cultural relativism,
the shared moral values must be authentic and not
imposed from the outside. As indicated earlier,
the existing least common denominator may not
be enough to accommodate certain vital human
rights. This fact would suggest the need to
broaden and deepen common values to support
these human rights” (25).
Discussion Question: Critique
the following statement.
“The validity of cross-cultural judgment
increases with the degree of universality of
the values upon which it is based; further,
the efficacy of action increases with the
degree of the actor’s sensitivity to the
internal logic and frame of reference of
other cultures” (26).
Question:
Does this statement
constitute a tautology?
“No one shall be
subjected to torture or
to cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or
punishment.”
Question
How does An-Na’im
justify punishment
according to Islamic
law?
Cultural Foundations for the
International Protection of
Human Rights
Richard Falk
Question:
What does Falk find
wrong with both these
jurisprudential
methods?
Question:
Does Falk think that
intercultural
communication
regarding human
rights is possible?
Why or why not?
Question:
Walker contends: “From
the South Bronx to Beirut,
from the proliferation of
refugee camps to the
persistence of apartheid,
the intolerable is always
visible to those who would
nevertheless celebrate the
achievements of the
modern world” (p. 50).
What does Falk think
about this? What do you
think?
Question:
How does Falk view
An-Naim’s approach
in comparison with
Kothari’s and Sethi’s
approaches to human
rights?
Question:
Which approach does
Falk advocate?
Do you agree or
disagree and why or
why not?
Question:
Do you agree or disagree
with the following
statement, and why: “The
point, however, is that
virtually any cultural
heritage is morally rich
enough that it can, if
appropriately construed,
under some circumstances
make inspirational
contributions to the
struggle for human rights,
democracy and social
justice” (54).
Discussion Question:
Discuss the
complexities of the
relationship between
the state and human
rights
implementations.
Question
Does Falk advocate
human rights issues
over issues of national
sovereignty? Why or
why not? Do you
agree or disagree?
Question:
How does Falk view
the furor over Salman
Rushdie’s The Satanic
Verses? Do you agree
or disagree? Why or
why not?
Question:
What are Falk’s final
recommendations
regarding the search
for universal human
rights? Do you agree
or disagree, and why
or why not?
“Making a Goddess of Democracy from
Loose Sand: Thoughts on Human Rights in
the People’s Republic of China”
William P. Alford
Question:
What is Alford’s main
thesis?
Questions:
What myths did the
American media
propagate regarding
PRC’s pro-democracy
movement?
How does Alford
regard these myths?
Question:
What is the historical
and cultural context of
the emergence of
human rights
consciousness in
PRC?
Questions:
Discuss the
complexities of PRC’s
one-child policy,
according to Alford.
Do you agree or
disagree and why or
why not?
Questions:
What are Alford’s
conclusions re. the
PRC and human
rights?
Do you agree or
disagree and why or
why not?
“Dignity, Community & Human
Rights”
Rhoda E. Howard
Questions:
What is Howard’s
thesis?
Do you agree or
disagree and why or
why not?
Questions:
How does Howard
characterize human
rights vs. collective
rights?
Do you agree or
disagree and why or
why not?
Questions:
How does Howard
characterize “dignity”?
What case study does
she use in order to
illustrate the
difference between a
human right and a
collective right?
Do you agree/disagree
and why or why not?
Questions:
How does Howard
characterize “Justice”?
Give an example of a
case study she cites.
Do you agree or
disagree? Why or
why not?
Questions:
What is a human
being, according to
Howard? Do you
agree/disagree and
why?
How does Howard
characterize the moral
order? Critique this.
Questions:
How does Howard
view torture?
Do you agree or not,
and why or why not?
Questions:
How does Howard
view cultural
relativism in relation
to human rights?
Do you agree or
disagree and why or
why not?
Questions:
According to Howard,
what factors helped in
the development of the
modern conception of
human rights?
Do you
agree/disagree? Why
or why not?
Questions:
Does Howard think
that living in a
democratic, liberal
society guarantees the
implementation of
human rights?
Critique this position.
Questions:
What does Howard
think about collective
rights?
What case studies does
she give as examples
to illustrate her
critique?
Do you agree/disagree
and why or why not?
Questions:
What are Howard’s
final conclusions?
Critique/respond to
her main conclusions,
justifying your
answers carefully.
How does the
“international human
body” emerge from
her conclusions?
Source:
An-Na’im, Abdullahi Ahmed. Ed. Human
Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspectives
Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania
Press, 1992.