Human Rights and Religion: A Sociological Perspective (original) (raw)
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Religion and Human Rights, vol. I, II, III, IV
2010
Hardly a week goes by without some world event relating to the burgeoning field of religion and human rights. Whether attacks carried out in the name of religion by individuals or states, violations of the rights of individuals or communities due to their religious or other beliefs, or clashes between religious and other competing rights (most notably, freedom of speech), matters relating to religion and human rights are not only an area of expert and academic interest, but also of increasing interest to policy-makers, governments, international organizations, and NGOs. This new four-volume Major Work collection from Routledge examines the background, history, and nature of human rights—both individual and collective—as well as economic, social, and cultural rights; and also civil and political rights. Standards, mechanisms, and jurisprudence at international and national levels are included, and form part of the discussion of the conflict of rights and freedom of religion or belief...
Human Rights and Religion: Perspectives and Retrospectives
Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, 2016
Human rights discourse has been viewed and debated from different perspectives. There exist different viewpoints to understand human rights concept. Western people viewed human rights which emancipate individuals from state, Africans and Asians observed human rights as a means which emancipates them from socio, economic and cultural suppression. But diverse perspectives are connected to a common concept called 'negative freedom'. It means human rights ensure 'individualism' as well as 'liberalism'. But when it comes to the issues of religion and its implications with human rights there is hardly any debate, we can find, in the human rights literature. Therefore, the present paper focuses on the relationship between human rights and religion and explores several theses and counter theses. One school of thought argues that absolute practice of human rights can be ensured through the exclusion of religion. Contrarily, another school of thought believes that both are mutually inclusive. In this regard, the paper analyses the core debates of both schools of thought in the western literature context and argues that the nature of the relationship between human rights and religion remains dialectical.
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Religion & Human Rights, 2006
Discussions about the relationship between 'religion' and 'human rights' often focus on the problems that arise from 'religion'. Within a European historical perspective this is understandable since one of the most important aspects of the historical development of the 'human rights' tradition in the Europe has been the struggle for the right not to believe.However, the concept of the 'secular' is also not unproblematic. Thus this article explores the contested relationship between 'human rights' and 'religion' by bringing into focus also the relatively hidden factor of the 'secular'. This is done by exploring the forms of secularity exemplified in the traditions and approaches that are found in the USA, France, Turkey, the Netherlands and India. Finally, reference is made to traditional Islamic models for integrating cultural and religious plurality, before concluding with some discussion of the thought of Marc Luyckx ...
Conference Proceedings Series, 2020
The issue of religion and human rights is one of the most significant concerns in our world today. The questions of human freedom, dignity, equality, and security are considered among the most fundamental human rights being treated by both, religion and united nation’s universal declaration of human rights. However, the main difference between religious and secular approaches to human rights lies in the platform based on which these rights are to be achieved and exercised. In religion, human rights are mainly understood as principles defined by religious scriptures and maintained as such on the basis of religious beliefs and practices. In the secular realm, human rights are largely founded on religious doctrines and philosophical thoughts and consequently achieved its universal character by UN’s General Assembly’s declaration of human rights in 1948. The problem in both cases, namely, religious and secular is that certain principles have never been universally and fully recognized and implemented into practice as debates and scholarly studies on the lack of implementation of human rights and its abuses are still very much active, especially in recent times.
‘Non-Religion’ as Part of the ‘Religion’ Category in International Human Rights
Religions, 2020
'Religion' still occupies and maintains a position of formal and informal privilege in many current societies. It retains these privileges despite the increasing numbers of people who label themselves 'non-religious'. There is also evidence that overtly non-religious people are being persecuted due to the continuation of these privileges. This paper will examine such treatment of the non-religious in the context of human rights instruments and laws. It lays out the international law case for the rights of the non-religious. It also discusses the extent to which state actors have or have not ignored human rights standards in their persecution or deprivileging of non-religious people. This paper will proceed through a three-step analysis. Step 1 is to examine the aspirational Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in relation to the non-religious. The relevant sections of the UDHR and interpretations that they have received will be discussed. Step 2 is to do the same with the binding International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Finally, Step 3 is to give examples of lower-level and local laws, where I shall examine the extent to which individual countries' laws and practices toward non-religious people support or contradict the treaty commitments that those countries have made. The continuation in coercion/persecution cases suggests that something is amiss with human rights protections being provided to the non-religious. If we are to create social structures that are more inclusive of the non-religious and to advocate for non-religious rights, it is necessary to examine the societal power and privilege still held by 'religion'. It is hoped that this article can inform and encourage further similar engagements among sociologists, religious studies scholars, activists and lay-people interested in the treatment of non-religious peoples.
Introduction: Human rights, Freedom of Religion or Belief, and the Church
Globethics.net, 2019
CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by Helsingin yliopiston digitaalinen arkisto 14 Human Rights, Religious Freedom and Faces of Faith All" 3 (2015), "Consultation on Religious Minorities as Part of Culturally Diverse Societies" (2016), and "Protection of Holy Sites and Worship Places in Europe and the Middle East in Cyprus" (2017) and "Towards Peaceful Coexistence in the Middle East: Challenges and Opportunities" (2018). Of special importance has been the establishment of the Summer School on Human Rights with a different focus each year: "Churches' Voice on Human Rights-Training on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights in the Euromediterranean Region" (2013), "Advancing Freedom of Religion or Belief for All" (2014), "Churches address antidiscrimination" (2015), "Stand Up for Women and Children's Rights" (2016) and "Rights under Threats-Stand Up for Refugees' and Migrants' Rights" (2017). The Summer School 2018 dealt specifically with "Freedom of Religion or Belief and Populism". The present manual-Human Rights, Religious Freedom and Faces of Faith-is part of the ongoing work done by CEC Member Churches to advocate for the promotion and protection of human rights at the highest standards inside Europe and beyond its borders. The manual has been divided into four parts that each cover specific aspects of human rights and freedom of religion or belief. PART I relates closely to issues connected to freedom of religion or belief and consists of two sections. The first section-this introductiontakes into consideration Human Rights, Freedom of Religion or Belief, and the Church. It includes a basic introduction to freedom of religion or belief in the European setting, both through mechanisms within the Council of Europe and the European Union. The second section-The Rights of the Religious Minorities-deals with the specific situation facing several of the CEC member-churches as well as other religious denominations and groups, namely the minority position vis-à-vis a majority religion or Christian denomination in the country.