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International Theory International Theory

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Meditating on rights and responsibility: remarks on ‘the limits and burdens of rights’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 December 2020

Kathryn Sikkink
Kathryn Sikkink
Affiliation:
Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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E-mail address:
Kathryn_Sikkink@hks.harvard.edu
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Abstract

Kratochwil's critique of rights as a dominant moral theory that cannot avoid ‘hegemonic’ politics appears to be too crude. This article suggests that more theoretical and practical attention to the responsibilities necessary to implement rights could address some of Kratochwil's concerns. The language of political and ethical responsibilities is often missing from the practical action discourse of human rights. The article emphasizes the multitude of potential ‘agents of justice’ and how they can discharge forward-looking responsibilities in open and discretionary ways.

Keywords

Agents of justice human rights responsibilities
Type
Book Symposium: In the Midst of Theory and Practice
Information
International Theory , First View , pp. 1 - 7
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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