Public Law Studies Quarterly

Public Dialogue, Cultural Diversity, and Contextual Interpretation of Human Rights

Document Type : Article

Authors

Morteza Nejabatkhah 1
Alireza Dabirnia 2
Janet Elizabeth Blake 3
Komail Sadeghi 4

1 Associate Professor, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Human Rights and Environmental Law, Faculty of Law. Shahid Beheshti University,Tehran, Iran

4 Ph.D. Student of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22059/jplsq.2025.386728.3650
Abstract
Today, respect for cultural diversity is considered essential for the implementation of the universality of human rights. However, there is a conceptual divergence between cultural diversity and universality in the field of human rights, with respect for cultural diversity appearing closer to relativism at first glance. Nevertheless, a contextual interpretation of human rights is an approach that can effectively bridge the concepts of universality and cultural diversity. This interpretation implies that in recognizing, applying, and safeguarding universal human rights, the cultural, social, and economic contexts of societies must be taken into account. Utilizing this interpretation of human rights requires certain prerequisites, and the existence of a public dialogue is one of these prerequisites. Additionally, public dialogue fosters greater convergence in value domains and can lead to the creation of shared beliefs and values. This research seeks to examine the extent to which and how public dialogue can be effective in providing a contextual interpretation of human rights. Such dialogues occur at the national level among individuals, groups, ethnicities, and subcultures to achieve consensus and a shared understanding of fundamental human rights values.

Keywords

cultural diversity
universality of human rights
human rights
contextual interpretation
public discussion
Subjects

  1. English

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    1. Articles
    1. Agyare, P. (2024). Contextualizing Human Rights in Multicultural Environments. Research in Social Sciences and Technology, 9(3), 210-230.
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    1. Reports
    1. Bennoune, K., & Secretary-General, U. N. (2018). Universality, cultural diversity and cultural rights: note/by the Secretary-General
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    1. Documents
    1. African Charter on Human and People's Rights
    2. Arab Charter on Human Rights
    3. Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam
    4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
    5. Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
    6. Convention on the Rights of the Child
    7. European Convention on Human Rights
    8. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
    9. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
    10. UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity
    11. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
    12. Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties

     

     

    References In Persian:

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    8. Mashhadi, A., Dabirnia, A., & Mohammadi, H. (2024). Analysis of the Foundations of Participatory Democracy in Light of Habermas's Language-Based Political Philosophy.  Public Law Studies Quarterly, 54(3), 1737-1760 (In Persian).
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Public Law Studies Quarterly
Volume 55, Issue 3 - Serial Number 43
Autumn 2025
Autumn 2025
Pages 2201-2223

  • Receive Date 29 December 2024
  • Revise Date 20 January 2025
  • Accept Date 05 May 2025

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