Whilst laying claim to universality, human rights as understood by the West do no less emanate from an epoch, a culture, a society, never to be dissociated from the emergence of a new conception of the State. Prevalent around the world as a result of historical trends, wars, and colonisations, they remain, in spite of their eagerness to suit all, “particular” and even limited rights, unable to answer the expectations of other peoples or other cultures… This tension is the nub of the problem Christoph Eberhard seeks to resolve in a work of legal anthropology in which he devises the conceptual instruments that could bring forth a Human Rights framework capable of answering the different specificities of each and every culture. Key words to this approach are: openness to the other, dialogue, community…

What will the conditions and modalities of a relevant redefinition of human rights be? On what method and paradigm should one rely on in order to drive a process intended on a overhaul of these rights so that everyone, regardless of their affiliation or identity, can make sense of them? Underpinning this essay, these questions dare to address the paradoxes of what we westerners consider an unsurpassable model, to point to the shortcomings in the system so as to better move it forward, and to make it the sounding board of a necessarily plural desiderata. This analysis offers an enlightened scrutiny into one of the major legal issues of our times, characterized by the reassessment of our togetherness.

Christoph Eberhard, is a researcher and a visiting professor of anthropology and theory of law at the Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis (FUSL), Brussels, and a member of the legal anthropology laboratory of the university of Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne. He has worked for many years on issues of law in the crosscultural dialogue and is currently exploring the implications of governance and sustainable development with regards to a responsible and multicultural globalisation. noteworthy among his works on a similar theme are his authorship of Le Droit au miroir des cultures. Pour une autre mondialisation (Paris, 2010) , and of Oser le plurivers. Pour une globalisation interculturelle et responsable (Paris, 2011) ; and his participation as scientific director to Droit, gouvernance et développement durable (Paris, 2005) and Traduire nos responsabilités planétaires. Recomposer nos paysages juridiques (Bruxelles, 2008).