Book Description

Peter Van Arsdale’s four decades of worldwide applied research and community outreach as a cultural anthropologist have involved water resource development, mental health, refugee resettlement, humanitarian assistance, and human rights. With one foot in the university, he always has kept the other foot in the field. In this brief, well-crafted volume, he synthesizes and grapples with key rights debates as well as human rights injustices on four continents. Thoughtful, original, and pragmatic, Van Arsdale opens with a “Tree of Rights” metaphor to demonstrate that rights are continually growing and evolving. From its branches come new rights, changes in the perception of rights, and the reframing of rights crossculturally. Following chapters focus on fundamental human rights: the right to clean water, sanitation, and food security; the right to be free from violence, genocide, and ethnic cleansing; and the right to dignity and respect. At-risk groups covered in the book include LGBT communities, children, refugees, and victims of war. Throughout, praxis—the meaningful intersection of theory, ethics, and practice—is emphasized. Chapter coverage is enhanced by complementary and compelling “Agency Action” and “Champion” sidebars. In closing, Van Arsdale challenges readers to embrace his “Theory of Obligation,” which maintains that one must assist those whose rights have been abused, when requested and when expertise and resources permit.