In our first meeting, we pose the problems in contemporary international relations theories with regard to cultural standpoints. We had several different reports based on local perspectives including Cuba, China, Bangladesh, Greece, and Japan. With regard to Human Rights, as Chris reported, Amartya Sen posed the issues of Universal Truths with regard to cultural relativism. Samuel P. Huntington with his article “the Clash of Civilizations?” has brought our attention to such cultural dimension in contemporary international relations too.
1. Explain three generations of Human Rights with regard to the Western view.
2. Why do cultural relativists against “Universal Truths”?
3. Many non-governmental organizations globally and locally engage in various human rights issues including human trafficking, women’s rights, child labor, refugees and sexual violence against women and children and so on. Do they rely on Universal Truths or cultural relativism? If necessary, please watch the movie “Beyond Border”.
4. Globalization facilitates economic, political, social, and cultural unification. Thomas Friedman illustrated such process as “World is flat” in his book. Instead, Samuel P. Huntington argues that our world could be divided by religious and cultural differences in his article “the Clash of Civilization?” Other journalists characterize these problems of convergence and divergence under globalization as “MacWorld vs. Jihad”. In your view, do contemporary international relations perspectives help you to describe, evaluate, and predict these events? If not, how do you want to modify international relations theory? Make a very brief comment.
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The three generations of humans rights are ideals that are view by people in the west as intrinsic freedoms. The first generation of human rights focuses on political and civil rights of individuals. There rights should not be interfered with by any governmental authority. Second generation human rights focus on social an d economics rights of an individual. The state has to provide the rights to medical care, jobs and housing. The third generation of human rights pertain to collective rights of groups such as ethnic and indigenous minorities. In addition, to special groups such as women and children. These groups under this concept have the right to democracy and development.
ReplyDeleteCultural relativist see human rights, ethics, and morality as a function of cultural beliefs and history. They do not consider human rights in the universal sense because the world is made up of many varying beliefs and cultures. This is opposed to people who believe that human rights are the same at all times for all people. This makes the concept of "universal truths" very controversial.
NGO's have to depend on "universal truths. They must do this so they can be an effective actor in battling many of the human rights issues that plague our world. The concept behind this is that everyone must come together under the same ideals. Universal truths give NGO's that platform to work from. NGO's like "Doctor's without Borders" must work with many people in different countries. They must be able to relate with the people they are helping to be effective. The concept of "universal truths" helps them to get the job done.
In relation to "Globalization" it is easy to see how both perspectives can be used to predict events.However, as globalization continues it is going to run into the obstacles of culture and religion. Many people base their identity on their religion or culture. This is what is problematic because of the difference in beliefs of many cultures which means there is bound to be conflict. Examples of this can be seen in the Middle East(Iraq,Iran,Israel,Palestine). It can also be seen in China and Africa.So to be come truly "Globalized" the world as to rid its self of genocide, ethnic cleansing, racial violence, religious intolerance and ignorance. The world will not become flat until all the civilizations have clashed which in the end will bring forth a different world.
The three generations of human rights are as follows. 1) The rights possessed individuals can’t usurped by the state. The individuals have autonomy and their rights predate the state as well as international law. 2) The welfare and rights of the laborer and state advancing the rights of individuals in the form social welfare. Individuals are entitled to education, health care, social security, as well as, housing. 3) Specified rights of groups such as, women, children, and ethnic groups and indigenous minorities. Cultural relativist are against universal truths simply because different rights are relative in different cultural settings, because different cultures warrant different norms when conditions are severe the state may place urgency upon itself instead of the collective rights of groups. In regard to universal truths vs. cultural relativism, NGO’s do rely on the inherit belief all are people are able to communicate commonality their ideals. An example would be in the case the Congo and other countries such as India there are people from all over the world who help oppressed women fight against male dominated militaries and police forces that rape, brutalize and kill women. Lastly, global social, economic changes would of course be explained by contemporary IR prospective. It’s in only natural that people draw a sense of identity from the way of life they’ve grow accustomed to whether it be living in a superpower and having a being used to jobs being readily available to the most qualified and hardworking, or living in Brazil and Chopping sugarcane to a living. When globalization sends your job from Detroit to Mexico in the name of cost cutting, what goes with is a since of pride because you no longer have a job. However for the Mexican worker he’ll go from $1.00 wage to 6.00 /hr . In terms of the people we define ourselves through community our social circles are composed of our church members, co-workers, our neighbors, schoolmates, and business and sometimes as a result of globalization communities may die in one area and be born again in another. This time with members that are of a mix religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. This can foster both conflict as well as understanding. Some may think that there indenty is being threatened of a new group while others seek understanding. It’s all the way we as humans take true diversification of the world’s cultural, ethnic, political, and religious option.
ReplyDeleteJonas D. Holt
PS2810
The first-generation of human rights is the most basic type of rights, which were the beginnings of the second and third-generations of human rights. These rights are the bare essntials of human rights. The idea behind the first-generation of human rights is that all humans are equal and all should have the rights to life, liberty, and property. The United States granted it's citizens these basic right in our Declaration of Independance. These rights also cover free speech, free assembly, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. These are rights to people, not that people should be given anything, but that the freedoms granted by these rights should not be taken away. The first-generation of rights are like the basic needs of a society, if a society does not allow it's members these simple human rights, then the people are not free. First-generation human rights are those material and non-material ideals that are not to be taken away from the people. Liberals and realists alike agree that these are necessary human rights and should be regarded as key to societies.
ReplyDeleteKarl Marx developed on these rights to start the concept of the second-generation of human rights. Marx did not necessarily agree with property rights, so he modified the first generation. Second-generation human rights concentrate more on the social welfare of the people. Second generation human rights go a step further than the first generation in demanding services for general social welfare. With these rights added benfits are given to the people. Not only is it enough to allow free speech, but now, second-generation human right look to educate people, provide health care, social security, and housing. This provides both social and economic rights to the people. President Roosevelt introduced a form of these rights to the United States when he created the Social Security Board, which is now the Social Security Administration. The idea is to provide economic social security to people who honestly need it.
The third-generation of human rights comes from later in the twentieth century. The third generation looks at more than just the individual in society, but at groups. It is possible that a minority group may have their rights ignored or even taken away by the majority, so this generation seeks to restore rights to these minority groups. A group could be a religious group or a gender.
Political theorists have established three classes of human rights. First generation human rights evolved from the writings of philosophers such as John Locke and important historical documents like England's Magna Carta and the bill of rights of the U.S constitution. These are basic, fundamental rights that all individuals are entitled to. These rights cannot be unjustly violated by national or international law. Examples of such rights include freedom of speech, the right to petition and assemble, freedom of the press, the right to due process of the law etc. Second generation rights developed largely out of socialist thought and stress that the state is obligated to guarantee the social welfare of individuals by providing education, health care, housing and other quality-of-life services. Third-generation rights emphasize the rights of specific groups such as minorities, women and children.
ReplyDeleteCultural relativists argue against “Universal Truths” because they believe that rights are specific to cultural factors and are thus unique to a given setting. No set of rights are universally applicable in their view.
Non-governmental organizations rely on universal truths in their approach to dealing with human rights issues. These organizations see human rights as applying to all individuals across all societies and many aim to promote and secure those rights with their activities.
The three generations of human rights are first-generation human rights, second-generation human rights and third-generation human rights. 1) First-generation human rights-Individuals are equal and autonomous beings whose natural rights predate both national and international law. Public authority is designed to secure these rights. Political and civil rights dominate the first-generation rights. First-generation rights are squarely within the liberal tradition and are widely accepted by realists. 2) Second-generation human rights- Minimum material rights that the state must provide to individuals. The state has the responsibility to provide for the social welfare of individuals, and individuals have the right to education, health care, social security, and house. 3) Third-generation human rights-Collective rights of groups, including the rights of ethnic or minorities and designated special groups such as women and children, and the rights to democracy and development, among others
ReplyDelete1. the first generation, essentially outlined in the US bill of rights, lays out the unalienable, natural rights of all people; life, liberty, free speech, due process and a free press, to name a few. the second generation of rights is made up of social and economic rights, education, health care and social security. these rights help to establish a minimum standard for a society. the third generation deals with group rights. some of whom need special protection in special circumstances, child labor and hate crime legislation.
ReplyDelete2. they believe that some times an individual must sacrifice for the whole of society. or that an individual's rights may usurp the rights of larger groups within that society. i, personally, believe that many of the people who claim to believe in cultural relativism use these ideals as cover because they do not want their societies culture judged against the rest of the world. this is because it often proves to be embarrassing, like when a man in a society claims women like to be subservient to men, then she fires back "no, i don't". SNAP!
3. they must rely on universal truths. NGOs are large, global, western inspired entities that do not do well with discretion or exception. they need to live in black and white. human trafficking can't mean two different things, in two different countries, with the same NGO. cultural relativism is true to a degree, though. a NGO must be aware that they are going to countries with cultures that are thousands of years old in some cases, so, their relative weakness could be an advantage to prevent rapid and unsafe transitions.
joe puleo
ps2810
1. first generation: idea that individuals are equal and autonomous beings whose natural rights predate both national and international laws.
ReplyDeletesecond generation: Marx's philosophy that benefits the welfare of industrial welfare. I.E. socioeconomic programs.
third generation: Rights for women, children and indigenous minority groups.
-Brent Stapleton
Antoinette Golston
ReplyDelete4.) Of course, Contemporary as well historical international relations perspectives help me describe, evaluate, and predict these events. Another major factor that is very important is my religion, and understanding of life. It's hard to not had this factor in because I am a Christian so, I believe that we are living in our last days. To had in historical and a scientific point of view only helps this prediction that we are living in our last days. Leading up to society's last days all hell will break out. We are going to war as the human race. The main focus of this war is religion. In Samuel P. Huntington talks all about the Clash of Civiliazation. Huntington states that civilzation identity will be very important in the future. "The people of different civiliazation have different views on the relations between God and man, the individual and the group, the citizen and the state, parents and children, husband and wife, as well as differing views of the relative importance of rights and responsibilities, liberty and authority, equality and hierarchy. These differences are the product of centuries They will not soon disapear"(Huntington). From a scientific point of view, because of rapidly increase of globalization everyone is getting connected and everyone is getting closer, where if you put every so close togther you are bound to clash. The environment is in more danger than it has ever been in. A philosopher, Fukuyama wrote about, "The End of History", and Friedman illustrated in That the World Is Flat in his book. These predictions are beginning to join together and the world will witness the Ending Result. It is up to us has human beings to be aware and stop trying to ignore issues that we are afraid to talk about.
The three generations of human rights in western views are shown in the bill of rights. Those rights are to protect and keep every American equal. They have used many ideas from the philosopher John Locke. Some of the rights that are protected are life, liberty, and the pursuit of hapiness. The second generation is to create social programs for the people.An example of that is welfare, and social security. The third generation is to protect groups. Special things are put in place to protect certain groups of people who were under crazy circumstances. 2)Cultural relativist are against "universal truths" because they believe that ethics, morality create people's cultural and history. They are against it because people have to as a whole to turn down some of their rights for the greater whole. 3. Non governmental organizations i believe rely on universal truths. The organizations are very much in the private eye so anything that they do is criticized and shown on a world market.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Lukowski