Sociological contributions to the study of human rights - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages The sociological approach has enabled the advancement of people’s understanding and empirical knowledge of such matters like genocides more effectively than even the way they have elated with human rights (Sjoberg and Gills et al., 2001). Working from a sociological perspective enables insights to human rights practices and concept beyond those of positive law and normative philosophy. This is because sociological perspective takes into account aspects of power and politics, conflicts and social divisions, differences in interpretation and understanding of human rights, and in the condition of social actions needed needed to achieve and realize them (Nash, 2009b). This paper will look at the contributions of the sociological perspective on the study of human rights, in relation with the perspective taken by lawyers and philosophers who have, for a long time dominated the study of human rights (Howard, 1995). Humana rights has been made international through the Universal declaration of Human Rights in 1964, but the sociologists are determined to show that human rights cannot be universal to all human beings because people live in different social contexts and are bound by their cultural and social beliefs. ...
There are three agreements known as the international Bill of rights. Universal Declaration of Human rights was convened in 1946, call for universal human rights for every human being. Vienna Declaration of Human Rights in 1993 regards human rights as universal, indivisible, intenerated and interdependent (Woodiwiss, 2005). Universal entitlements are mechanisms for implementing values as nondiscrimination and an adequate standard of living. All the rights found in the universal declaration of human rights are individual rights not corporate entities with the exception of people’s self- determination. The sociology perspective examines the logic behind this restriction and looks at some common misconceptions regarding individual human rights (Donnelley, 2003). Human rights recognized internationally are treated as interdependent and indivisible whole, instead as a menu where one may select freely. Sociology explores this universal declaration dimension with specific attention to civil and political relations to cultural economic and social rights. Although the rights are universal and held equally by all individuals anywhere, states have almost exclusive responsibility of implementing these rights for their own nationals. The sociology explores the contribution of the state in respecting and violation of human rights (Woodiwiss, 2005). For example, Lal Jamilla, a Pakistan girl aged sixteen who was repeatedly raped in March 1999, was not fully protected by the universal human rights and the state. She was shot dead, after being handed over to her tribe by the police officers, on the order of the council. This was meant t overcome the shame brought on the tribe by Jamilla. The aspect of Universalism is questioned in this case, and whether another state ...Download file to see next pagesRead More