Thinking of social rights as the center of human rights

Abstract

The text compiles fourteen essays that update the English-speaking discussion on human rights, with an emphasis on social rights. Aiming to promote social access with dignity, it offers arguments for individuals, societies, and policies to gain responsibility in a Kantian sense. This discussion is set against the backdrop of contributions from the critical tradition, featuring the voices of James Nickel, Amartya Sen, Martha Nussbaum, and, of course, Rawls. Specifically, the contributions of Henry Shue on basic rights and Kimberley Brownlee on the human right against social exclusion are central. In this sense, we can say that they update the debate and enhance our understanding of the complexity and challenges involved in focusing on social rights.