Search Results (20)

This paper offers a critical analysis of traditional Muslim sexual morality and questions its validity in the present. It focuses on two elements: (1) nikāḥ as a legal marriage contract characterized by asymmetrical gender roles and (2) historically permitted sexual relations with enslaved women, as well as Muslim positions on sexual intercourse with minors. After a conceptual clarification of sexual autonomy, I examine the positions of different legal schools and contextualize their norms within broader social and intellectual histories. Building on the approach of “overcoming the text,” I argue that foundational religious texts can no longer serve as the normative basis for a contemporary sexual ethic. Instead, I redefine the notion of “illegitimate sexuality” (zinā) based on the principle of sexual autonomy and show how modern legal and social frameworks (rule of law, welfare state, medical evidence) render earlier functions of sexual regulation obsolete. The Qurʾanic concept of maʿrūf serves as a dynamic ethical reference point. The goal is a paradigm shift toward a Muslim sexual ethic that centers autonomy, equality, and human dignity while critically dismantling inherited structures. Full article

This study explores the challenges and theoretical transformations that the widespread application of AI technology in social governance brings to the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights. By examining typical cases in judicial assistance, technology-enabled law enforcement, and welfare supervision, it explains how AI characteristics such as algorithmic opacity, data bias, and automated decision-making affect fundamental rights including due process, equal protection, and privacy. The article traces the historical evolution of privacy theory from physical space protection to informational self-determination and further to modern data rights, pointing out the inadequacy of traditional rights-protection paradigms in addressing the characteristics of AI technology. Through analyzing AI-governance models in the European Union, the United States, Northeast Asia, and international organizations, it demonstrates diverse governance approaches ranging from systematic risk regulation to decentralized industry regulation. With a special focus on China, the article analyzes the special challenges faced in AI governance and proposes specific recommendations for improving AI-governance paths. The article argues that only within the track of the rule of law, through continuous theoretical innovation, institutional construction, and international cooperation, can AI technology development be ensured to serve human dignity, freedom, and fair justice. Full article

There are discriminatory, structured, opaque human rights violations that keep the socioeconomically vulnerable subservient, a social problem that goes against the core Christian principle: humans are created in the image of God and all share equal dignity. Studies show that sociocultural, political, and economic elements are available in society, which form into clusters, namely social representations, helping people to categorize others and interact with her/him. They carry with them the historical consciousness, providing the people with social-living tools such as social identity and the like. The qualitative empirical research conducted among the Catholic youth of Tamil Nadu, India, showed that the enslaving semantic elements contained in the social knowledge facilitate the youth to affiliate with a group and to disaffiliate from another. Caste-ridden endogamic semantic elements are part of this knowledge. This affects individual as well as social cognition. Therefore, besides conceptual understanding, epistemological approaches are necessary to eliminate the enslaving elements contained in social knowledge. This is possible through the Ego–Alter dialogue. Ego stands for an individual, group, institution, movement, or anything similar. Alter can stand for social knowledge, which is available in society. Full article

This article explores identity-based prison worklines, described as the organisation of prison labour around prisoners’ identities such as race, sex, disability, and age. These worklines often impact prisoners’ pay, working conditions, and post-release opportunities. By examining this phenomenon primarily in the United Kingdom, as well as across Europe and the US, the article discusses the co-constitutive relationship between prison labour and the identity of prisoner-labourers. To analyse this relationship, the article develops a theoretical model of Incarcerated Working Identities (IWI), drawing insights from six distinct theoretical fields: prison studies, labour studies, identity studies, and their intersecting sub-fields. Placing identity-based prison worklines within the IWI theoretical framework exposes two tiers of harm: (1) discrimination and (2) identity re/construction. Together, these harms illustrate how identity-based prison worklines infringe on prisoners’ right to equality while also constraining their identity in ways that clash with their rights to liberty, autonomy, and dignity. These harms, this article concludes, violate human rights law. Incarcerated individuals could therefore utilise the IWI framework to challenge their current work assignments and conditions. Full article

The purpose of this study is to explore how university instructors and students in five European countries (The Netherlands, Türkiye, Greece, Czechia, and Italy) perceive the incorporation of European Union (EU) values into higher education. To achieve this, a phenomenological research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured group interviews with 42 participants, comprising 20 instructors and 22 undergraduate students from various disciplines. While the findings revealed a shared understanding of fundamental EU values including democracy, human rights, equality, freedom, human dignity, and rule of law, they also demonstrated considerable challenges regarding their effective integration into educational practices. The main barriers identified include insufficient educational materials and training opportunities, a lack of coordination in exchange programs, a lack of time, and financial limitations. This study highlights that more structured and systematic strategies are needed to successfully integrate these values in university curricula. The implications of this research underscore the need for universities to enhance their support mechanisms, foster inclusivity, and develop innovative pedagogical approaches to overcoming these challenges and fully integrating EU values into higher education. Full article

The atrocities of World War II were pivotal to the launch of the human rights project, which became anchored on the recognition of the inherent dignity of all humans and formed a cornerstone justifying the ascription of rights. Indeed, it became essential to recognise education as a human right given the emergent need to promote the use of reason, having recognised humans as people imbued with inherent dignity. This paper explores the right to education in international human rights law (IHRL) from the perspective of its purpose, and uses IHRL as its starting point. It argues that the ascription of inherent dignity to everyone justifies access to education and investigates the nexus between dignity and education, arguing that access to education is a sine qua non to expanding the inherent dignity of all humans. Thus, it argues that the recognition of dignity requires that all children must be provided with equal access to education to stimulate the use of reason. Full article

The Women, Life, Freedom (WLF) movement in Iran represents an existentialist and humanist liberation struggle against the country’s oppressive clerical regime. Grounded in existentialist philosophy, particularly Simone de Beauvoir’s concepts of autonomy, self-realization, and the pursuit of freedom, WLF extends beyond political reform to advocate for both personal and national liberation. The movement emphasizes self-determination, bodily autonomy, and agency, rejecting imposed identities and societal constraints. With over 120 years of Iranian women’s struggles as its foundation, WLF builds on past movements, such as the One Million Signatures Campaign, which raised awareness of legal discrimination and violence against women. The movement has also been shaped by globalization and “glocal” processes, fostering cross-cultural feminist solidarity among Iranian women both inside and outside the country. These transnational feminist networks connect local, national, and global movements, strengthening advocacy efforts. A defining feature of WLF is the role of male allies. Some men, particularly as partners in solidarity, actively challenge patriarchal norms and advocate for gender equality. Their participation reflects a shared commitment to human rights, national dignity, and freedom while acknowledging the importance of gender in shaping lived experiences and struggles. Ultimately, WLF is not just a gendered struggle but a unifying force that redefines Iranian identity. By intertwining personal and societal liberation within a global framework, the movement advances a transformative vision, one that challenges oppression, reclaims agency, and aspires for a just and equitable society. Full article

Obstetric violence (OV) is a form of gender-based violence (GBV) that arises from the medicalisation of childbirth and the systematic devaluation of women’s bodies during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Recognised as a violation of sexual and reproductive rights, OV reflects historically constructed power relations and highlights the need for public authorities to provide guarantees. In Portugal, OV has historical roots and continues to be an obstacle to the realisation of constitutional principles such as human dignity. Based in an intersectional feminist epistemology and the social constructionist approach, this study was conducted using an exploratory qualitative approach. Ten r7495/2006 acialised Brazilian women were interviewed to examine their experiences of OV during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period in the Portuguese NHS, through the lens of reproductive and sexual rights. The interviews revealed dehumanising and discriminatory treatment, highlighting the lack of respect for these women’s autonomy, dignity, and rights. These experiences of OV during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period affected the participants, leading to trauma and significant negative impacts on their mental, sexual, and reproductive health. This research on OV is crucial to advancing global reproductive justice, as it challenges structural inequalities and places racialised Brazilian women at the heart of the struggle for universal human rights and equality in sexual and reproductive healthcare. Full article

The essay explores the theme of suffering from an Eastern Patristic perspective, focusing on its spiritual and communal dimensions. It draws on the works of Maximos the Confessor, a famous 7th-century Byzantine theologian, particularly on his Amiguum 8. Maximos presents suffering not only as an inevitable consequence of the lapsarian human condition but also as a providential opportunity for moral and spiritual growth. Through suffering, individuals can reorient themselves towards God, fostering virtues like compassion and gratitude. This kenotic love, modeled after Christ’s sacrificial love, reveals the inherent dignity and equality of all human beings. Maximos’ perspective is at odds with the modern technological and political systems, which often depersonalize care and diminish the role of spiritual transformation, especially in the end-of-life context. The essay suggests that, while technological advancements address suffering, they may overlook the spiritual truth that suffering reveals—a truth central to human dignity and salvation. This perspective invites further exploration into the interplay between Christian theology, suffering, and modern biopolitics. Full article

Human genome research in sports raises complex ethical considerations regarding the intersection of genetics and athletic performance. Pursuing genetic enhancements must uphold fairness, equality, and respect for human dignity. This narrative review explores the ethical dimensions of human genome research in sports, its potential implications on athletes, and the integrity of sports. As a narrative review, this study synthesizes the existing literature and expert insights to examine the ethical aspects of human genome research in sports. This study extensively examined the current literature on genetics, sports performance, ethical concerns, human rights, and legal regulations within the European context. The literature was searched using the SPORTDiscus, Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed databases. Exploring human genome research in sports reveals significant ethical implications, including potential genetic discrimination, impacts on human rights, and creating a genetic underclass of athletes. There are also definite benefits surrounding genetic testing. In conclusion, this review contends that integrating ethical considerations into developing and applying genetic technologies in sports is crucial to upholding fundamental principles of fairness, equality, and respect for human dignity. It stresses the importance of open and inclusive dialogue about the potential consequences of genetic advancements on athletic performance, future generations, and the integrity of sports. Full article

Understanding and addressing dehumanization in healthcare is crucial due to its profound impact on patient care, ethical implications on patient dignity and autonomy, and its potential to affect the psychological well-being of healthcare professionals. The primary aim of this study was to establish reliable and valid instruments measuring two different types of dehumanization, namely animalistic dehumanization (i.e., stripping one of their uniquely human characteristics) and mechanistic dehumanization (i.e., stripping one of their human nature characteristics) among healthcare professionals. In this cross-sectional validation study among healthcare professionals, we tested measures of both animalistic and mechanistic dehumanization, focusing on the dehumanization of patients (hetero-dehumanization) and oneself (self-dehumanization), respectively. All measures were developed and validated based on a concept analysis, a literature review, and an appraisal of pre-existing scales. The research was conducted among 400 nurses and medical doctors employed in Greek public hospitals. Coefficient validity ratio results showed that 100% of items were acceptable for both measures. The newly established and validated hetero-dehumanization scale encompassed two factors (factor 1: animalistic dehumanization, factor 2: mechanistic dehumanization; Cronbach’s alpha was equal to 0.86 for each measure). The self-dehumanization scale was a mono-factorial measure of mechanistic dehumanization (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.97). Two validated measures of (self- and hetero-) animalistic and mechanistic dehumanization measures were developed for the assessment of dehumanization among health professionals, which will form the basis for future research in this important scientific field. Full article

Purpose: Decent work promotes decent and productive work opportunities for all genders under conditions of freedom, equality, safety, and human dignity. Despite the growing body of literature on this concept, decent work perception (DWP) measurement still needs to be improved. Although the literature provides several measurement tools for DWP, only some studies focus on knowledge works. This study aims to provide an original, valid, and reliable measure of DWP reflecting the knowledge workers’ perception of decent work. Problem: Based on a proposed conceptual framework of DWP, a scale was developed through a systematic scale development process. Methodology: In this study, an exploratory survey is conducted to generate codes using in-depth interviews. A pilot study is used to generate and select items for the DWP scale. An exploratory factor analysis is conducted to determine the underlying factor structure of the scale. Data are collected from 869 knowledge workers in China in the formal survey. Results: The analysis provides a five-dimensional structure of DWP with 15 items, including security, support, self-value, skills, and self-esteem. Implications: Our work expands research on decent work and adds to the broader area of knowledge workers. By developing a scale of DWP, our research has practical implications in theory and practice. Full article

Identity building can be understood as a fluid process informed by sociocultural aspects and encompassing a strong dimension of othering. Relying on the notion of narrative identity, in this article, we explore the ways in which young people raise and discuss values (human dignity, freedom, solidarity, etc.). To do this, we draw on a set of data collected through deliberative discussions with 378 young people (11 to 20 years old) from four Southern European countries: Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Cyprus. These small group discussions confronted young people about their identification with their country and with Europe. Using thematic and descriptive analysis, we investigate the relationships established by young people with values spontaneously raised by them to build on identity formation. Our results reinforce identity as being constituted in varying forms across the European regions, with relation to values being plural. Yet, there is a strong reference to process values in the four participating countries, such as solidarity and equality, which seem to inform a narrative of an “inclusive Europe”, where community ties matter. Because some level of controversy about values is observed, however, we argue that it could constitute a valuable aspect to inform activities in the field of citizenship education. Full article

This article explores the theme of dignity as it emerges in Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum novarum (1891) and develops within mainstream Catholic social teaching. In expositing the grammar of dignity, I argue that, while the tradition certainly affirms dignity as an equal status pertaining to all people as created in God’s image, dignity is not just a status. In a world damaged by sin, the real drama of dignity is its defense—the practical acknowledgement of dignity and human equality in the midst of our lived experience. Given how conditions in our world so often deny this truth about the human creature, dignity is, therefore, something we must have faith in, as well as constantly fight to make ordinary. Full article