Universal Rights Down to Earth (Norton Global Ethics Series)

A path-blazing lesson on how to reconcile lofty human rights ambitions with political and cultural realities.

The acclaimed author of The Race Card and legal scholar Richard Thompson Ford offers an expert analysis of human rights struggles across the globe, uncovering the complex realities of observing "universal" principles in specific cultures. As he engages thinkers such as Edmund Burke and Karl Marx, Ford sketches divergent views on how we define rights before he offers his critique: on the ground, rights ultimately depend on a dense network of institutions and an underlying civic culture for enforcement. In fact, even well-meaning reforms can lead in practice to increased exploitation of the people they would protect.

With a clear, persuasive voice, Ford explores five cases―from distributing food to the poor in India to sex-trafficking in Japan―and drives home a provocative conclusion. We must engage locally―in local laws, institutions, and social relationships―to realize meaningful change. And those who would "speak truth to power" must also acknowledge the potential costs of reform.

Richard Thompson Ford is the George E. Osborne Professor of Law at Stanford Law School. He has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Christian Science Monitor, and Slate.