The Ethics of Human Rights

This is a contribution to current debates in political and legal theory by a writer who is noted as much for his work in practical politics (the establishment of a system of human rights in his native Argentina) as he is for his scholarship. Thus though it offers a detailed and broad-ranging discussion at a theoretical level this book is not merely concerned with the philosophical foundations of human rights; it also takes a series of valuable steps foward in helping us to understand the part which a principled system of human rights can play in the good ordering of society. In seeking to fulfil the twin aims of exploring the theoretical and the practical, the author presents the fundamental issues of political theory in a way which introduces readers to the main currents of the field without assuming detailed knowledge of the literature. This makes the book suitable for students as well as scholars of human rights, political theory and jurisprudence.