Universal Human Rights Standards Interpretation With the Understanding of “Diversity”and Cultural Relativism

Yıl 2025, Sayı: 74, 655 - 673, 17.04.2025

Muhammed Mustafa Coşar

https://doi.org/10.57083/adaletdergisi.1676874

Öz

Scholars recognise that the universal application of international human rights law raises valid concerns. The ethical criticisms offered by advocates of cultural relativism are recognised as one of the most controversial issues in the application of universal human rights theory. The article emphasises the need for a dynamic and effective new process, taking into account the concerns of both universalist and relativist views and the applications of universal human rights theory. On the other hand, the article explains the perspectives of universal human rights theory and cultural relativism, demonstrating the importance of dialogue between the two. As a consequence, it also evaluates the view put forward by cultural relativists that relativist justification should be emphasised. The extent to which the state and civil society should act on practices of human rights violations, on manifestations of injustice, and on internal dynamics to redress violated rights is also addressed. Again, the place of the cultural relativist view, which should be seen as a standard component of universal human rights theory, in these actions is analysed. Accordingly, the article analyses these issues in the light of the views of scholars and the Council of Europe guidelines on human rights practices in culturally diverse societies.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Cultural relativism , Universalism , International Human Rights , International Human Rights Theory , Dialogue

EVRENSEL İNSAN HAKLARI STANDARTLARINI “ÇEŞİTLİLİK” ANLAYIŞIYLA YORUMLAMA VE KÜLTÜREL RÖLATİVİZM

Öz

Uluslararası insan hakları hukukunun evrensel düzeyde uygulamasının geçerli kaygılara yol açtığı bilim insanlarınca ifade edilmektedir. Kültürel rölativizmi savunanlarca sunulan etik eleştiriler, evrensel insan hakları teorisinin uygulanmasında en çok tartışılan hususlardan biri olarak kabul edilmektedir. Makale, hem evrenselci hem de rölativist görüşlere ilişkin endişeleri ve evrensel insan hakları teorisiyle birlikte uygulamaları dikkate alarak dinamik ve etkili yeni bir sürece olan ihtiyacı vurgulamaktadır. Öte yandan makale, evrensel insan hakları teorisi ile kültürel rölativizm perspektiflerini açıklayarak, taraflar arasındaki diyaloğun önemini ortaya koymaktadır. Bunun etkisiyle, kültürel rölativistler tarafından öne sürülen rölativist gerekçelendirmeye ağırlık verilmesi gerektiği görüşü de değerlendirilmektedir. Devletin ve sivil toplumun, insan hakları ihlallerine ilişkin uygulamalara, adaletsizliğe işaret eden görünümlere, ihlal edilen hakların telafi edilmesine yönelik olarak iç dinamiklerin ne derecede eyleme geçmesi gerektiğine de değinilmektedir. Yine, evrensel insan hakları teorisinin standart bileşeni olarak görülmesi gereken kültürel rölativist görüşünün bu eylemlerdeki yeri incelenmektedir. Buna göre, makale, akademisyenlerin görüşleri ve kültürel açıdan farklı toplumlarda insan hakları uygulamalarına ilişkin Avrupa Konseyi kılavuzu ışığında bu hususları incelemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kültürel Rölativizm , Evrenselcilik , Uluslararası İnsan Hakları , Uluslararası İnsan Hakları Teorisi , Diyalog

Kaynakça

• Altman A/Buchanan A. Human Rights, Legitimacy, And The Use Of Force (Oxford University Press, 2010)
• Briskman L, Creating Understandings for Peace, Justice and Human Rights (15 Hum Rts 125, 2020)
• Bielefeldt H, Muslim Voices In The Human Rights Debate (17 Human Rights Quarterly, 1995)
• Bouchet D, A Transdisciplinary And Cross-Cultural Introduction To The Issue Of Human Rights In A “Glocal” World (18 Politeja 2021)
• Bufacchi V, Theoretical Foundations For Human Rights (66 Political Studies 2017)
• Celestine N, How Should Human Rights and Development Respond to Cultural Legitimization of Gender Hierarchy in Developing Countries (41 Harv Int'l LJ 381 at 394 2000)
• Colchester M, Cultural Relativism And Indigenous Rights: Rethinking Some Dilemmas In Applied Anthropology Part 1 (Anthropology Today Prospects to Cultural Relativism 2021)
• Dundes Renteln A, International Human Rights--Universalism Versus Relativism (Sage Publications New York 1990)
• de Búrca G, Reframing Human Rights in a Turbulent Era (Oxford University Press 2021)
• de Búrca G, Human Rights Experimentalism (111 American Journal of International Law 2017)
• Donnelly J. Cultural Relativism and Universal Human Rights (Human Rights Quarterly , Nov., 1984, Vol. 6, No. 4)
• Donnelly J, Human Rights in Theory and Practice (2003). Hey H, Universal Human Rights and Cultural Diversity, Human Rights and Human Welfare, (2001).
• Engle E, Universal Human Rights: A Generational History (Annual Survey of International & Comparative Law: Vol. 12: Iss. 1, Article 10 2006)
• Guyora Binder, Cultural Relativism and Cultural Imperialism in Human Rights Law (Buffalo Human Rights L. Rev. 219 1999)
• Hollyer J, and Rosendorff B, Why Do Authoritarian Regimes Sign The Convention Against Torture? Signaling, Domestic Politics And Non-Compliance (SSRN Electronic Journal 2011)
• Ida E, In the Legal Discipline Some of These Thoughts on Cultural Relativism have been Presented as the Theory of ‘legal pluralism or 'legal polycentricity (Legal Human Rights on Common Grounds: The Quest for Universality,139. 2021)
• Johansson D, Searching for a Middle Ground: Anthropologists and the Debate on the Universalism and the Cultural Relativism of Human Rights (The International Journal of Human Rights 2021)
• Lakatos I, Thoughts on Universalism versus Cultural Relativism, with Special Attention to Women’s Rights (Ppcs Journal of International and European Law - 2018/I )
• Lamichhane S, Universal Human Rights versus Domestic Courts: Reshaping the Cultural Relativist Debate in Nepal (12 NJA LJ 233 2018)Lea B, Tian H, The Illogic of Cultural Relativism in Global Human Rights Debate (The Global Community Yearbook of International Law).Lewis H, Between Irua and 'Female Genital Mutilation': Feminist Human Rights Discourse and the Cultural Divide, (8 Harv Hum Rts J 1 1995)
• Jurisprudence 2014: Volume I, Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: October 2015 DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190270513.001.0001
• Melville J. Herskovits, Cultural Relativism; Perspectives in Cultural Pluralism (New York Random House 1972)
• Müllerson R, Human Rights Diplomacy, (Routledge 1997, p. 79-80).
• Patel G, How ’Universal ’Is the United Nations ’Universal Periodic Review Process? An Examination of the Discussion Held on Poligamy. (Human Rights Review 2017 Vol 18, p. 465)
• Perrin A.K, Human Rights and Cultural Relativism: The "Historical Development"Argument and Building A Universal Consensus (3 2005)
• Posner E, The Twilight Of Human Rights Law (Oxford University Press 2014)
• Rawls J, The Law of Peoples (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Rodríguez Garavito C, and Gomez K, Rising To The Populist Challenge Prospects to Cultural Relativism 35 1999)
• Simmons Beth A., Mobilizing for Human Rights (International Law in Domestic Politics 2009)
• Shestack JJ, The Philosophic Foundations of Human Rights (Human Rights 2017)
• Sibian C, Female Genital Mutilation/Circumcision: Reconciling the Ongoing Universalist/ Cultural Relativist Debate to Promote a Cross-Cultural Dialogue (2013)
• James A, Margins of Appreciation: Cultural Relativity and the European Court of Human Rights in the Post-Cold War Era (The International and Comparative Law Quarterly, vol. 54, no. 2)
• Tilley J, Cultural Relativism (22 Human Rights Quarterly 2000)
• Ahamd Ali Sawad, University, T., 2021. ‘Islamic Reservations' to Human Rights Treaties and Universality of Human Rights within the Cultural Relativists Paradigm. [online] Academia.edu. Available at: [Accessed 30 December 2021].
• https://www.coe.int/en/web/human-rights-intergovernmental-cooperation/workcompleted/human-rights-diverse-societies
• Ekiz S, İnsan Haklarının Evrenselliği ve Kültürel Görecelik, (insan-haklarini2022102414282184.pdf (izmirbarosu.org.tr) Erişim Tarihi: 04.07.2023)