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Human rights and ethical reasoning : capabilities, conventions and spheres of public action

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Whiteside, Noel and Mah, Alice (2012) Human rights and ethical reasoning : capabilities, conventions and spheres of public action. Sociology - The Journal of the British Sociological Association, Volume 46 (Number 5). pp. 921-935. doi:10.1177/0038038512450807 ISSN 0038-0385.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0038038512450807

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Abstract

This interdisciplinary article argues that human rights must be understood in terms of opportunities for social participation and that social and economic rights are integral to any discussion of the subject. We offer both a social constructionist and a normative framework for a sociology of human rights which reaches beyond liberal individualism, combining insights from the work of Amartya Sen and from French convention theory. Following Sen, we argue that human rights are founded on the promotion of human capabilities as ethical demands shaped by public reasoning. Using French convention theory, we show how the terms of such deliberation are shaped by different constructions of collectively held values and the compromises reached between them. We conclude by demonstrating how our approach offers a new perspective on spheres of public action and the role these should play in promoting social cohesion, individual capabilities and human rights.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Divisions: Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Human rights
Journal or Publication Title: Sociology - The Journal of the British Sociological Association
Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd.
ISSN: 0038-0385
Official Date: October 2012
Dates:
DateEvent
October 2012Published
July 2012Accepted
April 2012Submitted
Volume: Volume 46
Number: Number 5
Page Range: pp. 921-935
DOI: 10.1177/0038038512450807
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Description:

Special issue on the sociology of human rights

Date of first compliant deposit: 23 December 2015
Date of first compliant Open Access: 23 December 2015
Funder: Sixth Framework Programme (European Commission) (FP6)

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