Foreword x
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction 1
Thinking about human rights 1
Human rights abuses in the world today 5
The scope of human rights research 10
Human rights and theoretical traditions 17
Chapter 1 Theorising human rights 26
What are human rights? 26
A brief history of human rights theory 28
Are human rights universal? 37
Are human rights incontrovertible? 44
Are human rights subjective? 49
Ethics and social practice 55
Modernity and democratisation 59
The state and human rights theory 62
Essay questions 66
Notes 66
Further information 71
Chapter 2 Regulating human rights 72
Who protects human rights? 72
A brief history of human rights regulation 74
Human rights and world politics 76
The United Nations 79
Human rights and the law 87
Human rights and social movements 93
The state and human rights regulation 100
Essay questions 102
Notes 102
Further information 104
Chapter 3 Censorship 106
What is censorship? 106
A brief history of censorship 109
Censorship and democracy 115
The theoretical discourse on censorship 125
Pornography and obscenity 126
The state, censorship and human rights 129
Essay questions 134
Notes 134
Further information 137
Chapter 4 Political prisoners 139
What is a political prisoner? 139
A brief history of political prisoners 142
Political policing 145
Political prisoners and just punishment 147
Exile and house arrest 154
'Disappearances' and extra-judicial executions 155
The state, political prisoners and human rights 158
Essay questions 160
Notes 160
Chapter 5 Torture 164
What is torture? 164
A brief history of torture 168
Torture methods 171
The theoretical discourse on torture 179
Understanding torturers 181
Medical involvement in torture 184
The trade in torture equipment 189
The state, torture and human rights 191
Essay questions 192
Notes 192
Further information 196
Chapter 6 The death penalty 198
What is the death penalty? 198
A brief history of the death penalty 201
Execution methods 208
Understanding the death penalty 212
The theoretical discourse on the death penalty 217
'Race', class and the death penalty 222
The experience of Death Row 226
Medical involvement in the death penalty 228
The state, the death penalty and human rights 230
Essay questions 233
Notes 234
Further information 239
Chapter 7 Apartheid 241
What is apartheid? 241
A brief history of apartheid 242
Understanding apartheid 247
Apartheid, caste and social stratification 252
Gender and apartheid 255
The state, apartheid and human rights 258
Essay questions 259
Notes 259
Further information 262
Chapter 8 Slavery 263
What is slavery? 263
A brief history of slavery 266
'Race', citizenship and slavery 274
Understanding slavery 276
The experience of enslavement 282
The state, slavery and human rights 289
Essay questions 291
Notes 291
Further information 297
Chapter 9 Genocide 299
What is genocide? 299
A brief history of genocide 303
Understanding genocide 311
Political genocide 321
The experience of the concentration camp 323
The state, genocide and human rights 324
Essay questions 328
Notes 328
Further information 335
Chapter 10 Refugees 337
What is a refugee? 337
A brief history of refugees 342
'Race', citizenship and refugees 348
Refugees and border controls 353
Refugees and the media 355
The experience of displacement 358
The state, refugees and human rights 362
Essay questions 363
Notes 364
Further information 367
Conclusion 368
New directions in human rights research 368
Women and human rights 369
Children and human rights 374
Business and human rights 381
Poverty and human rights 384
The environment and human rights 387
Human rights in a globalised world 389
Essay questions 393
Notes 393
Further information 396
Appendix
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 398
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 405
Name index 426
Acts and Conventions index 429
Subject index 432
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction 1
Thinking about human rights 1
Human rights abuses in the world today 5
The scope of human rights research 10
Human rights and theoretical traditions 17
Chapter 1 Theorising human rights 26
What are human rights? 26
A brief history of human rights theory 28
Are human rights universal? 37
Are human rights incontrovertible? 44
Are human rights subjective? 49
Ethics and social practice 55
Modernity and democratisation 59
The state and human rights theory 62
Essay questions 66
Notes 66
Further information 71
Chapter 2 Regulating human rights 72
Who protects human rights? 72
A brief history of human rights regulation 74
Human rights and world politics 76
The United Nations 79
Human rights and the law 87
Human rights and social movements 93
The state and human rights regulation 100
Essay questions 102
Notes 102
Further information 104
Chapter 3 Censorship 106
What is censorship? 106
A brief history of censorship 109
Censorship and democracy 115
The theoretical discourse on censorship 125
Pornography and obscenity 126
The state, censorship and human rights 129
Essay questions 134
Notes 134
Further information 137
Chapter 4 Political prisoners 139
What is a political prisoner? 139
A brief history of political prisoners 142
Political policing 145
Political prisoners and just punishment 147
Exile and house arrest 154
'Disappearances' and extra-judicial executions 155
The state, political prisoners and human rights 158
Essay questions 160
Notes 160
Chapter 5 Torture 164
What is torture? 164
A brief history of torture 168
Torture methods 171
The theoretical discourse on torture 179
Understanding torturers 181
Medical involvement in torture 184
The trade in torture equipment 189
The state, torture and human rights 191
Essay questions 192
Notes 192
Further information 196
Chapter 6 The death penalty 198
What is the death penalty? 198
A brief history of the death penalty 201
Execution methods 208
Understanding the death penalty 212
The theoretical discourse on the death penalty 217
'Race', class and the death penalty 222
The experience of Death Row 226
Medical involvement in the death penalty 228
The state, the death penalty and human rights 230
Essay questions 233
Notes 234
Further information 239
Chapter 7 Apartheid 241
What is apartheid? 241
A brief history of apartheid 242
Understanding apartheid 247
Apartheid, caste and social stratification 252
Gender and apartheid 255
The state, apartheid and human rights 258
Essay questions 259
Notes 259
Further information 262
Chapter 8 Slavery 263
What is slavery? 263
A brief history of slavery 266
'Race', citizenship and slavery 274
Understanding slavery 276
The experience of enslavement 282
The state, slavery and human rights 289
Essay questions 291
Notes 291
Further information 297
Chapter 9 Genocide 299
What is genocide? 299
A brief history of genocide 303
Understanding genocide 311
Political genocide 321
The experience of the concentration camp 323
The state, genocide and human rights 324
Essay questions 328
Notes 328
Further information 335
Chapter 10 Refugees 337
What is a refugee? 337
A brief history of refugees 342
'Race', citizenship and refugees 348
Refugees and border controls 353
Refugees and the media 355
The experience of displacement 358
The state, refugees and human rights 362
Essay questions 363
Notes 364
Further information 367
Conclusion 368
New directions in human rights research 368
Women and human rights 369
Children and human rights 374
Business and human rights 381
Poverty and human rights 384
The environment and human rights 387
Human rights in a globalised world 389
Essay questions 393
Notes 393
Further information 396
Appendix
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 398
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 405
Name index 426
Acts and Conventions index 429
Subject index 432