Making Religion and Human Rights at the United Nations (Religion and Society, 67)

Open Access This volume examines the different and sometimes contradictory approaches of four UN human rights committees to the concept of religion. Drawing on critical perspectives from religious studies, the book combines a genealogical assessment of the role of religion in international law with a detailed textual study of the reporting practice of the committees monitoring racial discrimination, civil and political rights, women's rights, and children's rights. Årsheim argues that the role of religion within the rights traditions monitored by the committees varies to the extent that their recommendations risk contradicting one another, thereby undermining their credibility and potential to bring about real change on the ground: Where some committees view religion singularly as a core individual right, others see religion partly as an inherent threat to the realization of other rights, but also as a potent social force to be reckoned with. In order to remedy this situation, Årsheim proposes the publication of a joint general comment by all the committees, spelling out their approach to the role of religion in the implementation of human rights.

This volume examines the different and sometimes contradictory approaches of four UN human rights committees to the concept of religion. Drawing on critical perspectives from religious studies, the book combines a genealogical assessment of the role of religion in international law with a detailed textual study of the reporting practice of the committees monitoring racial discrimination, civil and political rights, women's rights, and children's rights. Årsheim argues that the role of religion within the rights traditions monitored by the committees varies to the extent that their recommendations risk contradicting one another, thereby undermining their credibility and potential to bring about real change on the ground: Where some committees view religion singularly as a core individual right, others see religion partly as an inherent threat to the realization of other rights, but also as a potent social force to be reckoned with. In order to remedy this situation, Årsheim proposes the publication of a joint general comment by all the committees, spelling out their approach to the role of religion in the implementation of human rights.

The series Religion and Society (RS) contributes to the exploration of religions as social systems? both in Western and non-Western societies; in particular, it examines religions in their differentiation from, and intersection with, other cultural systems, such as art, economy, law and politics. Due attention is given to paradigmatic case or comparative studies that exhibit a clear theoretical orientation with the empirical and historical data of religion and such aspects of religion as ritual, the religious imagination, constructions of tradition, iconography, or media. In addition, the formation of religious communities, their construction of identity, and their relation to society and the wider public are key issues of this series. Contents 5 Part I: Making Religion 11 Introduction 11 1. The United Nations and Religion 12 2. Making Religion 28 3. Making Religion in International Law 36 Part II: Monitoring Religion 73 Introduction 73 4. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 76 5. The Human Rights Committee 114 6. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 161 7. The Committee on the Rights of the Child 201 8. Legal Forms of Religious Life 243 References 264 Index 316 This Volume examines the different and sometimes contradictory approaches of four UN Human rights committees to the concept of religion. Combining a genealogical assessment of the role of religion in international law with detailed study of 20 years of the reporting practice of the committees the book finds several inconsistencies and argues that the committees should consider publishing a joint general comment on their approach to religion. --