Critical Theory and Human Rights: From Compassion to Coercion (Critical Theory and Contemporary Society) - Hardcover

McGrogan, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 152613182X ISBN 13: 9781526131829

Publisher: Manchester University Press, 2021

Synopsis

This book describes how human rights have given rise to a vision of benevolent governance that, if fully realised, would be antithetical to individual freedom. It describes human rights’ evolution into a grand but nebulous project, rooted in compassion, with the overarching aim of improving universal welfare by defining the conditions of human well-being and imposing obligations on the state and other actors to realise them. This gives rise to a form of managerialism, preoccupied with measuring and improving the ‘human rights performance’ of the state, businesses and so on. The ultimate result is the ‘governmentalisation’ of a pastoral form of global human rights governance, in which power is exercised for the general good, moulded by a complex regulatory sphere which shapes the field of action for the individual at every turn. This, unsurprisingly, does not appeal to rights-holders themselves. -- .

About this title

About the Author

David McGrogan is Associate Professor of Law at Northumbria Law School -- .

From the Back Cover

This book describes how human rights have given rise to a vision of benevolent governance that, if fully realised, would be antithetical to individual freedom. It shows that contemporary human rights practice is increasingly managerial in nature, with the focus shifting from the individual rights-holder to the activities of the duty-bearer, be it the state, international organisations, or business.

The result is a preoccupation with achieving measured improvements within abstract groups such as the population or "stakeholders," while the individual rights-holder becomes relevant only as a datapoint in a larger grouping. Analysing this trend and its consequences, the book describes human rights' evolution into a grand but nebulous project, rooted in compassion, with the overarching aim of improving universal welfare by defining the conditions of human well-being and imposing obligations on the state and other actors to realise them. The ultimate result is the "governmentalisation" of a pastoral form of global human rights governance, in which power is exercised for the general good, moulded by a complex regulatory sphere which shapes the field of action for the individual at every turn.

It is unsurprising that this alienating discourse has failed to capture the popular imagination. The book concludes that if the human rights movement is to succeed it may be necessary for it to do less rather than more.

From the Inside Flap

This book describes how human rights have given rise to a vision of benevolent governance that, if fully realised, would be antithetical to individual freedom. It shows that contemporary human rights practice is increasingly managerial in nature, concerned above all with measuring and improving human rights performance. This has the effect of shifting the focus from the individual rights-holder to the activities of the duty-bearer: the state, international organisations, or business. The result is a preoccupation with achieving measured improvements within abstract groups such as the population or "stakeholders," with the individual rights-holder being relevant only as a datapoint in a larger grouping. Analysing this trend and its consequences, the book describes human rights' evolution into a grand but nebulous project, rooted in compassion, with the overarching aim of improving universal welfare by defining the conditions of human well-being and imposing obligations on the state and other actors to realise them. The ultimate result is the "governmentalisation" of a pastoral form of global human rights governance, in which power is exercised for the general good, moulded by a complex regulatory sphere which shapes the field of action for the individual at every turn. The conclusion is that it is unsurprising that this alienating discourse has failed to capture the popular imagination - and that if the human rights movement is to succeed it may be necessary for it to do less rather than more.

Edition details

• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 152613182X
• ISBN 13: 9781526131829
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 280