Academia as a vocation. Thoughts on teaching, scholarship, and the other things that the privilege of being an academic affords the ability to think about. I also use this blog when I teach as a central repository of stuff related to various courses, so you'll find some of that if you browse here too.
29.8.11
2011 World Politics question #1
Blog question #1 for 2011:
What is the most important issue in world politics, and why?
(Nothing like a simple little question to get us started.)
The most important issue in world politics is the question of whether or not human rights are universal. Even if human rights are universal, we certainly do not behave as if they are. Instead, we continue to function as if there are masses of people (particularly in the global south) who are sub-human. Yet, is this necessarily wrong? ("Wrong" as in, unjustified). Or, is granting every single man and woman on the planet what we consider, "human rights" unsustainable? Is the fact that the perception of human rights is differentiated between cultures a roadblock from creating any sort of global human rights guarantee?
This question is crucial as it pertains to whether or not we're approaching the world correctly. Do we have an obligation to fellow humans before all other international economic and social interests? Or, is developing a level global playing field of guaranteed human rights completely impossible and therefore out of the question?
I personally believe that granting every human being various rights is a noble goal, yet naive and completely impractical. The world is one with countless perspectives, traditions, socioeconomic statuses, demands, etc. In short, the world is relative with different needs and even rights. While I'm open to the possibility (as much as I am open to religious creation stories), I don't believe universal rights will ever truly be accomplished.
1 comment:
The most important issue in world politics is the question of whether or not human rights are universal. Even if human rights are universal, we certainly do not behave as if they are. Instead, we continue to function as if there are masses of people (particularly in the global south) who are sub-human. Yet, is this necessarily wrong? ("Wrong" as in, unjustified). Or, is granting every single man and woman on the planet what we consider, "human rights" unsustainable? Is the fact that the perception of human rights is differentiated between cultures a roadblock from creating any sort of global human rights guarantee?
This question is crucial as it pertains to whether or not we're approaching the world correctly. Do we have an obligation to fellow humans before all other international economic and social interests? Or, is developing a level global playing field of guaranteed human rights completely impossible and therefore out of the question?
I personally believe that granting every human being various rights is a noble goal, yet naive and completely impractical. The world is one with countless perspectives, traditions, socioeconomic statuses, demands, etc. In short, the world is relative with different needs and even rights. While I'm open to the possibility (as much as I am open to religious creation stories), I don't believe universal rights will ever truly be accomplished.
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