Beyond Universalism and Relativism
Human Rights’ thought and practice have long been trapped in a double dilemma : between universalism and relativism on the one hand, and between theories and practices on the other hand. On the theoretical level, the opposition between the universality of human rights, especially defended by lawyers, and the relativity of cultures, especially defended by anthropologists, seemed insurmountable. On a more pragmatic level, the universality of human rights was challenged at the grassroots level and brought about the question of the applicability of human rights’ declarations in various socio-cultural settings. There is today a reorientation of the debates. Through their inscription into the broader context of globalization and the semantic reconfiguration of the politico-economico-legal field around the notions of « governance » and of « sustainable development », unveiling a pluralist and intercultural horizon for human rights’ thought and action becomes possible. It implies to reflect upon the emergence of a new ethics for collective responsible action, founded on the recognition of our individual and collective fragility. The contribution of anthropologists, who have been shying away from human rights debates for long, is very precious in this enterprise.