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| Power Dynamics in the Human Rights Movements - Universalism or Relativism |
 PRINTABLE VERSION |
All in all, there are several aspects of the universalism versus cultural relativism debate that I find lying on rather unstable grounds. Although both extremes present significant intellectual problems, it is still difficult to position oneself in the middle since it implies one has to make choices as to what practices are acceptable and which are not. Hopefully, certain authors encourage self-reflexivity and encourage their readers to track back how their stance is informed by their position. By looking at part of twentieth-century history, one realizes that most advances in women's human rights have occurred after times of serious conflict, turmoil or disturbance such as World War II. My last question is thus: can or should a legal framework impede these contradictory forces of change, would be more effective to let change happen from within? Who knows...
Bibliography
Coomaraswamy, Radhika (2001). ''Different but Free : Cultural Relativism and Women's Rights as Human Rights'', in Religious Fundamentalisms and the Human Rights of Women, ed. Howland.
Gatens, Moira (2004). ''Can Human Rights Accomodate Women's Rights? Towards an Embodied Account of Social Norms, Social Meaning and Cultural Change'', Comtemporary Political Theory, Vol. 3, pp. 275-299.
Locke, John (1982). ''Second Treatise of Government'', ed. by H. Davidson, Arlingon Heights, 3rd ed.,. 150 p.
Manicom, Linzi. NEW368 : Gender and Cultural Difference in Transnational Perspectives. Lectures 03 (24/01/06) and 09 (14/03/06)
Nagengast, Carole (1997). ''Women, Minorities, and Indigenous Peoples: Universalism and Cultural Relativity'', Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol 53 (3).
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Je suis étudiante en économie du développement au Canada, présentement volontaire en prise en charge socioéconomique des personnes vivant avec le VIH SIDA au Burkina Faso. Je m'intéresse particulièment aux mouvements sociaux et aux questions d'équité et d'oppression.
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