1st Edition
On the Significance of Religion for Human Rights
This progressive volume furthers the inter-religious, international, and interdisciplinary understanding of the role of religion in the area of human rights.
Building bridges between the often-separated spheres of academics, policymakers, and practitioners, it draws on the expertise of its authors alongside historical and contemporary examples of how religion's role in human rights manifests. At the core of the book are four case studies, dealing with Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Authors from each religion show the positive potential that their faith and its respective traditions has for the promotion of human rights, while also addressing why and how it stands in the way of fulfilling this potential.
Addressed to policymakers, academics, and practitioners worldwide, this engaging and accessible volume provides pragmatic studies on how religious and secular actors can cooperate and contribute to policies that improve global human rights.
Part I: Summary
1. Summary of Recommendations for Secular and Religious Actors Pauline Kollontai and Friedrich Lohmann
Part II: Why Religion Matters
2. Introduction Friedrich Lohmann and Pauline Kollontai
Part III: Religion and Human Rights: Problems
3.1 Orientation: How and Why Religion Resists the Idea of Human Rights Friedrich Lohmann and Pauline Kollontai
3.2 Hindu Perspective: Human Rights of Women and the Notion of "Pollution" in Hinduism Hari Priya Pathak
3.3 Jewish Perspective: Jewish Exclusionist Theology in Israel Pauline Kollontai
3.4 Christian Perspective: The Appeal to Traditional Values as an Argument against Human Rights Friedrich Lohmann
3.5 Islamic and Iranian Perspectives on Human Rights: Problems Katajun Amirpur and Ingrid Overbeck
Part IV: Religion and Human Rights: Potentials
4.1 Orientation: How Religion Can Contribute to Human Rights Pauline Kollontai and Friedrich Lohmann
4.2 Hindu Perspective: Women and Democratic Ideals in Hinduism: A Case Study of Women's Entrance to Sabarimala Temple Hari Priya Pathak
4.3 Jewish Perspective: Challenging Jewish Religious Exclusionist Praxis Pauline Kollontai
4.4 Christian Perspective: Jesus Christ the Liberator Friedrich Lohmann
4.5 Islamic and Iranian Perspectives on Human Rights: Potentials Katajun Amirpur and Ingrid Overbeck
Part V: Now What? Implications and Recommendations
5. Now What? Recommendations for Building Cooperation between Secular and Religious Actors Pauline Kollontai and Friedrich Lohmann.
Index
Biography
Pauline Kollontai is Professor Emerita in the Department of Religion, Politics and International Relations at York St John University, UK.
Friedrich Lohmann is Professor of Protestant Theology and Applied Ethics at the Bundeswehr University Munich, Germany.
