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Introduction

Introduction

pp. 1-3

Authors

, Hamad bin Khalifa University, , School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
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Summary

The term human rights is frequently used as if it were self-explanatory. It is tempting and not uncommon to view ‘human rights’ as something intrinsically good. Human rights are often labelled (somewhat mockingly) as the new religion, a label which illustrates the elevated status they appear to enjoy. On closer inspection, it becomes evident that the term human rights is used freely and sometimes loosely by members of different disciplines and the public at large, meaning different things – both positive and negative – to different people, depending on the context and the purpose for which it is used. It is therefore important to clarify the meaning(s) of the term by tracing its genealogy and examining its use in various contexts.

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