Reclaiming universal human rights in a plural global order for critical and comprehensive activism

Abstract

In the context of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ (UDHR) 70th anniversary, this blog has been the canvas for the thought-provoking contributions of a number of scholars. If we had to outline a conclusion to a number of those interventions, it would surely be this, highlighted by the blog’s editors in their call for submission: “although the UDHR and subsequent UN human rights instruments have undeniably paved the way for the international human rights movement, grave rights violations continue to be perpetrated around the globe”. I would like to add that most of these grave violations are nothing of a novelty and some of them are even more serious than before. A fascinating interview with UQAM Professor Lucie Lamarche a few weeks ago, in which we discussed the problems and challenges of the human rights approach, has in that sense motivated me to choose a more ambitious and provocative topic for this essay. If our goal is to reclaim Universal Human Rights in a Plural Global Order, my proposition is that our reflections need to be brought on the offensive to support demands and strategies with a strong critical perspective on human rights. For this, I would like to highlight some basic ideas: 1) our business is not only legal; 2) we should develop a deeper interdisciplinary approach and not lower our standards; 3) the magnitude of our current challenges demands a comprehensive form of activism.