Reason, Justice and Dignity: A Journey to Some Unexplored Sources of Human Rights

This concise monograph on the origins of human rights traces root concepts of reason, justice, and innate human value through several historical periods and belief systems around the world to provide readers with a new look at the universality of the theory behind modern international principles. The volume covers Confucian China, the golden age of Islam, and sixteenth century Spain, and explores how the philosophical and political leaders of these periods incorporated the core concepts of human rights into their societies and served as innovators and advocates in the development of modern conceptualizations of human rights. The author selects these particular historical examples to combat contemporary beliefs that other cultures, especially China and Islamic states, are so very different from western promoters of human rights. Leuprecht is the former Director of Human Rights and Deputy Secretary-General of the Council of Europe. Annotation 穢2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)