The Arduous Pursuit of Dignity for All

Preserving Democracy and Human Rights in a World in Crisis

This talk draws from Matthias Mahlmann’s recent critically acclaimed book, Mind and Rights: The history, law and psychology of Human Rights published in open access mode by Cambridge University Press in February 2023. The talk critically examines the growth of the concept of human rights, its roots in history and current human rights theories. It scrutinizes in particular the myth of the Western origin of the idea of human rights by highlighting the many roots of human rights in different cultures, including within the Global South and indigenous cultures.

A particular goal of the talk is to engage with the so-called cognitive revolution and to investigate the relationship between human cognition and human rights. The talk will argue that insights gained from modern theories of the mind can deepen our understanding of the foundation of human rights. The talk also seeks to answer the question whether the current attacks on democracy can be countered through the use of human rights and its underlying political ethics of egalitarian dignity. Finally, the talk will contend that the pursuit of the human rights idea, with its achievements and tragic failures, is key to understanding what kind of beings humans are. Such self-knowledge is crucial in times in which the human species has put its own survival at risk.

A conversation between the author, Matthias Mahlmann, and the discussant, Rinku Lamba, will be followed by a moderated Q&A session with the audience.

In collaboration with: National Law School of India University