Don’t be universal; be human! : clash between universalism and relativism as an obstacle in protection of human rights

Abstract

The ongoing academic debate between Universalism and Relativism has had negative effect on implementation of human rights into practice and causes human rights to be less accepted within the human society. This thesis critically analyses both of these notions and discovers their flaws that have the biggest negative effects on human rights protection. Human rights violations are in the next chapters examined on the background of modern political trends, societal tendencies, but also on the background of opposing academic arguments within this debate. The goal of the thesis is disregarding the ongoing debate as outdated, irrelevant and provide an alternative for improvement. Resulting from this analysis, the thesis provides a new conception, formed on a revision of universalism and relativism, with the fundamental values of human rights in regard. The newly established theory shall expresses the capability to implement human rights acceptance in the modern society, a trait necessary for human rights to be effective in practice.