Human Rights and Global Justice

The research line Human rights and Global Justice explores to what extent international human rights law imposes, or is moving towards imposing obligations across and beyond State borders (a 'common responsibility') and analyses the effectiveness of human rights for marginalised communities  ('localising human rights') in a context of structural global inequalities. The latter has a long-term interdisciplinary focus combining insights from law, political and social sciences. The former focuses on two alternative ways of constructing a common responsibility for human rights: transnational human rights obligations and the right to development. 

More generally, it studies where human rights law falls short on contributing to (global) justice, and whether and how these shortcomings can be remedied. The research line covers any aspect of human rights and includes a special focus on children’s rights.

The research line welcomes explorations and criticisms of diverse understandings of human rights, including their historical construction and ‘civilizing mission’, as well as the responsibility of humans to non-human beings.