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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. ISSN 0038-0385

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

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:

Date	Event
October 2012	Published
July 2012	Accepted
April 2012	Submitted

Volume:

Volume 46

Number:

Number 5

Page Range:

pp. 921-935

Identification Number:

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

Funder:

Sixth Framework Programme (European Commission) (FP6)

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