Human rights versus social practice in the Mediterranean

Abstract

This article uses Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of practice as a standpoint from which to analyse the relationship between legal scholarship and social science in contemporary discussions on human rights in the Mediterranean. The argument put forward is that differing ways of representing social practices operate as hidden obstacles, which frustrate attempts at inter-disciplinary dialogue. A review of the papers presented during two recent conferences suggests that these obstacles derive from the way in which human rights themselves are conceptualised. A reflexive jurisprudence which stresses the ideological foundations, social effects and creative potential of human rights is advocated.