In the academic realm, one of the most controversial topics in human rights is the issue of proving or denying the universality of human rights. The repeated recourse of the officials of the Islamic Republic to the discourse of cultural relativism in the face of international accusations of human rights violations in Iran has led many human rights defenders to see this debate as a manipulative and tactical justification for Iran’s violation of its international commitments. Dr. Reza Afshari, a professor of history at Pace University who has specialized in the field of human rights historiography, has written an important work on the cultural relativism of human rights in Iran. In this book, Dr. Afshari seeks to critique the often-held view of Western scholars who support cultural relativism in human rights but are unaware of its distressing practical consequences, and instead defend global human rights. He examines the government of Iran as a case study, considering its historical experience over the past two decades of Islamic rule, in order to reject

The structure of the book “Human Rights in Iran: The Misuse of Cultural Relativism” consists of an introduction, seventeen thematic chapters, and a conclusion. In the first chapter, the author defends the universal concept of human rights and rejects the alternative theory of Islamicization of human rights. The second chapter discusses the establishment and implementation of the theocratic theory of Wilayat al-Faqih and the violation of human rights in the political context of two different periods: the Ayatollah Khomeini era in the 1980s and the post-Khomeini era (Hashemi and Khatami governments) in the 1990s. Chapters three to seven delve into specific topics such as the right to life, prohibition of torture, freedom of security, and prevention of arbitrary detention, and provide critical analysis of the challenges faced in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Chapters seven to nine focus on the right to freedom of thought and religion, which is of fundamental importance

Studying this book is recommended for human rights analysts interested in the post-revolutionary Iran and human rights activists.

Book Title: Human Rights in Iran: The Abuse of Cultural Relativism

Author: Reza Afshari

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Print date: First (July 30, 2001)

Language of the book: English