Cultural Relativism in the Face of the West - The Plight of Women and Children (Hardcover)

The idea of universal human rights has been perhaps the most contentious concept of the 20th century. Originally presented as a response to the atrocities of the past and an attempt to stifle the potential ills of the future, the concept has been under heated assault by adherents to the concept of "cultural relativism". The basic conflict between these two extreme perspectives lies with the degree to which either should be the primary consideration when dealing with the great diversity of peoples worldwide. While proponents of universal human rights believe that a fundamental group of human rights exist and can be applied uniformly throughout the world, cultural relativists are primarily concerned with protecting and understanding - usually in functionalist terms - the diversity of cultures worldwide. This overarching conflict is the underlying focus of this study. The author examines the debate between the uniform application of universal human rights and cultural relativism. In so doing, he outlines the foundations of both schools of thought and provides a history of their evolution. The book also examines case studies that involve either women or children and, as such, are typically viewed by the West as violations of fundamental human rights.