Rights in Context

Reviews / Votes

'This integrated and thoughtful collection illustrates the increasing significance of rights discourse in contemporary political, policy, and legal debates ranging from artistic expression, multiculturalism, financialization, human security, and the "war on terror". The contributors adopt a nuanced and rich relational and sociological approach to rights that seeks to reconnect law to social justice in a globalized and post-industrial world.' Judy Fudge, University of Victoria, Canada 'This stimulating book brings a range of socio-legal perspectives to bear on how talk about rights is framed, used and exploited at local, national, and transnational levels. It challenges many complacent assumptions about the relationship between law, justice and politics in the conditions of late modernity.' William Twining, University College London, UK '... provides an excellent interdisciplinary and philosophical enquiry into human rights in social context... Banaker's volume offers an insightful critical perspective on rights discourse.' Times Higher Education 'This book is an interesting and lively read [...] arising from an academic workshop on human rights. It reflects an interesting side of the European debate, focusing on countries that we would normally regard as liberal and not associated with a colonial/imperial past.' Law Gazette 'The book imparts a sense of knowledge of the concept of rights in a 'subjective' fashion. This includes how rights are used, abused, created, destroyed and re-invented by various actors and groups in the globalised western world to achieve specific results. The moral face of rights is not a part of the focus of this text. Though most articles are lengthy and intensive, the issues addressed deserve the focus given to them. The text would appeal to anyone who has an avid interest in socio-legal matters. Rights in Context succeeds in being both comprehensive and informative.' Commonwealth Law Bulletin