Human Rights and Empire: The Political Philosophy of Cosmopolitanism

by Costas Douzinas

Erudite and timely, this book is a key contribution to the renewal of radical theory and politics. Addressing the paradox of a contemporary humanitarianism that has abandoned politics in favour of combating evil, Douzinas, a leading scholar and author in the field of human rights and legal theory, considers the most pressing international questions.

Asking whether there is an intrinsic relationship between human rights and the recent wars carried out in their name and whether human rights are a barrier against domination and oppression or the ideological gloss of an emerging empire this book examines a range of topics, including: the normative characteristics, political philosophy and metaphysical foundations of our age, the subjective and institutional aspects of human rights and their involvement in the creation of identity and definition of the meaning and powers of humanity, and the use of human rights as a justification for a new configuration of political, economic and military power.

Exploring the legacy and the contemporary role of human rights, this topical and incisive book is a must for all those interested in human rights law, jurisprudence and philosophy of law, political philosophy and political theory.

Genres: Politics, Philosophy, Law, Nonfiction, History

334 pages, Hardcover

First published March 20, 2007

About the author

Costas Douzinas is Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities and Professor of Law at Birkbeck, University of London.

Reviews

[Marian]

I'm waiting for my good used copy to arrive!