A Political Theory of Rights

Rights are basic building blocks of the contemporary state and yet their rigorous justification is notoriously difficult. This book provides a thorough analysis of this central topic in modern political discourse. The book challenges the orthodox view that rights are a type of property claim in one''s body. Drawing on the tradition of the social contract as well as the wealth of recent work in political theory the book argues for a different conception of rights. Rights are conceived as a certain type of political claim justified by a Kantian ideal of autonomy. Moreover that justification provides a moral basis for rights that while independent of law and custom is also tied to an image of citizenship particularly suited to the pluralistic nature of contemporary liberal society.