Where Human Rights And Cultural Relativism Meet Essay

Where Human Rights and Cultural Relativism Meet The fight for and discussion of human rights and the applicability of such rights has raged for decades, and more broadly for centuries. Philosophers such as John Locke and Thomas Hobbes have touched on human rights, and political figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt have made the theoretical discussion of such rights a reality through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since the Declaration, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10th, 1948, there has been more and more literature on the topic, as well as if considerations should be made for different cultures. Phyllis Chesler, professor emerita of psychology and women s studies at the College of Staten Island, recently took up this apparent clash between the universality of human rights and considerations of cultural relativism. She addressed this clash by arguing in favor of banning the burka in Western countries. Martha Nussbaum, however, argu ed against a proposed ban on the burka in Spain and other European countries on the grounds that it was discriminatory against the Islamic faith to ban that certain piece of clothing. Nussbaum argued that the practices and customs of cultures should be considered when considering laws that will affect them. Amartya Sen, an Indian economist and philosopher pointed out the glaring disparity between men and women in many countries. He also explained the faults and failures of two prominentShow MoreRelatedCultural Relativism Essay1108 Words   |  5 PagesIs cultural relativism good for our society? Cultural relativism is a belief where there are no absolute moral views or beliefs can be apply to all cultures, which makes â€Å"right† and â€Å"wrong† different in every society; what is considered â€Å"right† in one society may be considered â€Å"wrong† in another. 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