Human Rights - Confronting Myths and Misunderstandings

'. . . Fagan has made a fine effort identifying several myths and misunderstandings haunting the modern project of human rights.’
– Varro Vooglaid, Finnish Yearbook of International Law

‘This book is a stimulating read and gives much “food for thought”.’
– Sally Ramage, The Criminal Lawyer

‘This is a thorough and balanced work which examines the philosophical basis of human rights and tackles head on, the most commonly held suspicions and misconceptions – some of them politically motivated and deliberate – of human rights theory. If you specialize professionally or academically in the area of human rights legislation or even practical application, you’d find it useful to read this book. . .’
– Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor, The Barrister

‘The cause of human rights is powerfully expressed in these pages but equally the credibility gap that such a cause faces given the scale of human suffering in the world. Andrew Fagan offers a robust agenda of thought and action to pursue if we are serious about securing the universal enjoyment of human rights. The book is also an excellent introduction to contemporary philosophical standpoints on both the theory and practice of human rights.’
– Kevin Boyle, University of Essex, UK

‘The idea of human rights is one of the most familiar of our time. It is, however, not well understood and often abused. Andrew Fagan takes up the “myths” and “misunderstandings” most common among both supporters and critics of human rights, and seeks to develop a clear, well-founded account of the idea. His analysis challenges all those who believe that human rights are well established and that human rights theory is only a distraction from urgent practical work.’
– Michael Freeman, University of Essex, UK