Human Rights and the Care of the Self

by Alexandre Lefebvre

When we think of human rights we assume that they are meant to protect people from serious social, legal, and political abuses and to advance global justice. In Human Rights and the Care of the Self  Alexandre Lefebvre turns this assumption on its head, showing how the value of human rights also lies in enabling ethical practices of self-transformation. Drawing on Foucault's notion of "care of the self," Lefebvre turns to some of the most celebrated authors and activists in the history of human rights–such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Henri Bergson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Charles Malik–to discover a vision of human rights as a tool for individuals to work on, improve, and transform themselves for their own sake. This new perspective allows us to appreciate a crucial dimension of human rights, one that can help us to care for ourselves in light of pressing social and psychological problems, such as loneliness, fear, hatred, patriarchy, meaninglessness, boredom, and indignity.

Genres: Politics

264 pages, Hardcover

Published May 10, 2018

About the author

I teach and research in political theory, the history of political thought, modern and contemporary French philosophy, and human rights. I grew up in Vancouver, Canada, studied in the United States (PhD, The Johns Hopkins University, Humanities Center 2007), and now call Sydney home.

Reviews

[Alexander Barnstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a contemporary context human rights is generally seen as concerned with the preservation of others and a means by which one can contain institutional and political power. In this book Levebre brilliantly explains why this perspective, whilst valid, is not the whole story. This book argues that there is a significant place in the field for the care of the self. Through an exploration of famous human rights thinkers Levebre gives the reader a multitude of ways human rights-and more specifically the care of the self-can be mechanised to protect us from damaging forces such as individualism, nihilism, misogyny and many more.

Furthermore the book is an excellent exploration of the field of human rights. It gives the reader a peak at the vast and complex landscape of the concept. And consistently brought about new links I, as the reader, had never drawn before.

[DRugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connects historic human rights activists to care of the self, a foundational aspect of effective resistance to dominant social and political powers—change in the relationship we have to ourselves. Human rights is shown as the tools and technique for care of self.

[Tom Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years ago I took a class on Modern Political Thought, taught by Alexandre Lefebvre. It was the best class I’ve done at university, his teaching and the subject matter: Kant, Tocqueville, Arendt, and Marx, was fascinating. With this book on human rights, I knew I would enjoy it too.
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The premise of Lefebvre’s argument is simple, that human rights should be made a way of life because it is essential for the care of oneself. To argue such, a series of character studies are undertaken, human rights activists such as Malik, Wollstonecraft, Bergson, and Roosevelt are explored for their perspectives on human rights and how it can be used as a tool for individuals in self-transformation.
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For me, the ethics of human rights explored in the chapter on Eleanor Roosevelt was most poignant. Her achievements and writings are inspiring, and in my view argue most strongly support Lefebvre’s argument, this Foucauldian view on the necessity of “care of the self.” Her single most important piece of advice for self-improvement: always put yourself in a position to incorporate and profit from every single one of your encounters and experiences.

[Morleena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant piece of work. And so accessible. I am slowly working through all of his books, and he never fails to inspire me.