CHAPTER 1 – 3 SUMMARIES
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE
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During these difficult times, the pandemic has sent the economy into collapse and our
nation’s leaders have proved that they are ineffective at dealing with crisis, and often more
interested in fighting and hurling insults with each others’ political parties.
Although this pandemic has shown us that the fissures between us are very evident,
volunteerism has kicked in – reminding us that we share some basic values.
People agree that any forms of discrimination should be prohibited, and in fact these
principles we share are the starting place for “human rights” towards a more peaceful, free,
equitable, and prosperous world
Human rights begin when we demand the opportunity to develop and grow as an individual,
when we expect to live with justice and dignity. According to Universal Declaration of
Human Rights
Human rights are the measure of progress in contemporary societies. It can be fulfilled or
not – indicating there is a social problem
THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Social constructionism states that people do not act based upon the world itself but rather
upon interpretations or definitions of that world. For instance, the partisan divide of political
parties shows us that people decide whether what is or what isn’t a social problem.
“If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences”- W.I Thomas. Thomas
Theorem implies that those interpretations of their community regarding an issue-influence
how people act
The concept of fake news follows the claims-making process of social constructionism. For
instance, news organizations pick the claims of such people (writers, experts, celebrities,
etc.) and we hope that they do some serious reporting, vetting claims and discerning for the
public what’s true. But if they don’t, they tend to rush and sensationalize the newly
developing problems. As a consequence, problems – whether well founded or not—become
socially constructed and come to influence the behavior of individuals, communities, and
institutions.
The perspective of social constructionism helps us examine claims before we believe that
something is true but in reality, isn’t such a major threat after all.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS APPROACH
From a sociological perspective, human rights are social constructions that only make sense
within particular historic contexts, it is a product of time. For instance, according to Turner
(2006), human rights acknowledge sufferings such as indignity and insecurity, and seek to
lessen its prevalence in our community. According to Sen (1999), it is also based on our
shared recognition that all persons have potential to contribute to the development of
societies.
Human rights also root from norms and ethical guidelines with centuries long conflict and
consensus
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is an international document drafted by the
representatives from 8 nations after World war I and II and is adopted by United Nations. No
nation cast a single vote against the adoption of it.
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The preamble states that: Disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in
barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world
in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and
want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people.
It provided a catalyst for human rights activism and advocacy. A starting place for human
rights approach to social problems
As mentioned, human rights are a product of time. By the time it was being drafted in 1948,
some countries are still under colonialism, the lgbt were also left out, and since it was
written before the environmental movement awakened people’s awareness, rights to having
a pollution free environment were never considered
However, Universal declaration of human rights provides no instruction on how those
conflicting interpretations should be negotiated, and the viewpoint of the most powerful
prevails. For instance, the use of firearms as a self-defense vs prohibition of firearms so as
not to kill lives.
In conclusion, the Universal Declaration of Human rights is an imperfect and incomplete
document, but it was never intended to be the final decree on all rights. Rather it is only a
framework. think of them in a more expansive way, as a set of normative expectations that
provide an impetus for social action for people around the world.
CHAPTER 2 RIGHTS TO WELLBEING AND PROPERTY IN AN UNEQUAL SOCIETY
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The “first generation rights” include freedoms to live without interference in worship,
speech, assembly, and voting, to be treated equally among others. While the “second
generation rights” refer to these rights to dignity and wellbeing, freedom from want or in
short free from poverty, however wellbeing rights of millions of persons are routinely left
unfulfilled.
DIGNITY AND WELLBEING COMPROMISED
It is necessary to consider and account all the expenses of the family to be comfortable
Poverty constitutes a serious social problem that compromises human dignity; hence it
constitutes a collective failure to live up to the standards outlined by Universal Human
Rights Declaration
Poverty measure is still being underestimated. For instance, the poverty threshold is unable
to account for the expense for smartphones, computer and the internet that many people
deem essential to raise children.
Supplemental poverty measure (alternative measure of poverty)- determines the threshold
based upon the cost of important family expenses such as healthcare and childcare
Since it is politically expedient to underestimate poverty, people might be more likely to
demand changes to occur if the official measure of poverty showed greater amounts than
the current measure
Aside from this, even the rights to work are also unfulfilled.
ACHIEVING WELLBEING FOR ALL
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The right to have a quality education falls under this, it should be affordable, Unfortunately,
only wealthy nations are more capable to provide universal health coverage to their citizens,
which promotes further wellbeing for all
Unemployment – a feature of capitalism, but globalization and automation of work can
make it worse
Although there are many programs to promote wellbeing, they are simply ‘unaffordable’
CONCENTRATIONS OF INCOME AND WEALTH IN THE UNITED STATES IN A HUMAN RIGHTS
CONTEXT
According to Gini Index, a one way to measure inequality which ranks the distribution of
family income. It states that US is on par with Philippines, Jamaica, Cameroon.
Rather than looking at the income, we can assess economic inequality by looking at wealth=
sum total of everything a person owns minus debts. A form of inequality that can be handed
down between generations. Once inherited, it can produce more wealth.
Lack of money is not the issue; it is more of a matter of priorities and power
Greater equality is hindered by a worldview or ideology, as we tend to celebrate wealth
while overlooking the suffering of the poor. We have codes that ban sleeping and
panhandling in parks, on sidewalks and in other public places. Though it may have a benefit
when it comes to protecting public health, it just makes homelessness and poverty less
visible.
RIGHT TO PROPERTY
-A certainly fundamental right, but at the same time it cannot be absolute in contemporary
societies
No one’s fortune is entirely self-made. For instance, Jeff Bezos was not created by him alone,
but also by the taxpayers who built and take care of the roads and internet infrastructure
that help his business model possible
STRIKING BALANCE BETWEEN PROPERTY OWNERSHIP AND WELLBEING TO SATISFY RIGHTS
government policies tend to disproportionately favor the rights to property of the few over
the wellbeing rights, as we celebrate more about material success than poverty and material
deprivation
We could provide an important source of revenue for programs that help provide wellbeing
rights.
Our current system of inheritance means that the heirs of the rich are lifted far up, while it
also means that unfortunate children. However less unfortunate go without a healthy diet
and pre-school
“The more society is organized around the preservation of wealth for those who already
have it, rather than building new wealth, the more impoverished we will all be”-Carnegie
Capital gains or the income from wealth are taxed less than the tax paid by middle-class on
their income taxes. Capital gain tax could be increased providing another possible means of
paying the programs for the wellbeing of people.
Low minimum wage has been causing the workers to protest and do an informal strike to
increase their minimum wages. Increasing the pay has lots of benefits. Such as they will be
able to purchase more nutritious food for their children, to take them to doctors, reducing
stress levels that may lead to abuse and depression.
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In conclusion of this chapter, funding is available is there is a political will to change existing
policies
This balance of power between wealthy and poor can change over time toward the
increased achievement of human rights, but it doesn’t just happen on its own: large
numbers of people must organize and work together to make it so.
CHAPTER 3 INEQUALITY AND RIGHTS TO SPEECH AND DEMOCRACY
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“When a majority of citizens disagree with economic elites or with organized interests, they
generally lose” (Gilens and Page 2014: 576).
The right to participate in free and fair elections, the right to have a meaningful voice in the
government aren’t fulfilled for all citizens.
For instance, numerous districts have been divided or arranged with boundaries carefully
engineered by political parties to produce predetermined outcomes.
There are many ways to remove the barriers to voting rather than building them up.
CONTRADICTORY RIGHTS TO SPEECH AND DEMOCRACY
Politicians depend on the vote of the public, so they better listen, or else they risk losing
their jobs. The ides of “pluralism”: everyone’s speech is protected, and everyone’s speech is,
hypothetically, equally influential, depending upon what’s being said.
HOW MONEY IN POLITICS UNDERMINES DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
Most of the money spent by candidates during elections came from large donations.
Although some of it is considered “dark money” in such a way to make it difficult for the
public to learn who is behind these large sums
Politicians, while on their seats doing legislations, allocate substantial amount of time to
fundraising for the next election for an “incumbent advantage”, they are more likely to
maintain their seats and fundraise more after having once won. This means that they will
have less time to do important legislative work they were elected to accomplish in the first
place.
Also note that contribution is a form of free speech/right of speech
CORRUPTION
Personal corruption has been a real problem in our society. But the more pressing form of
corruption is the entirely legal form of corruption that permeates today’s political
environment, in which the congress gives more access and attention to wealthy contributors
compared with everyone else. A more subtle than personal corruption, but is far corrosive
one
INSTITUTIONAL CORRUPTION OPERATES THROUGH A SYSTEM OF BOTH DEPENDENCY AND
FEAR
As such wealthy backers not only have the power to discontinue their financial support but
can also spend money to support opposing candidates in the next election if things don’t go
their way. So, they must prove themselves sympathetic to the viewpoints of the wealthy.
STRIKING A BALANCE BETWEEN POLITICAL RIGHTS
setting a limit on expenditure or campaign limits and disclosure of dark money