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Category Archives: Research

Women Rights versus Cultural Identity?

The author of an article Culture versus Rights Dualism: a myth or a reality? in openDemocracy web, Yakin Ertür, claims that women’s human rights discourse and movements have become entangled within a culture-versus-rights dualism. The author argues that this is a false dualism which serves both private patriarchy and public patriarchy of neo-liberal globalisation.

“Blaming culture for the disadvantages faced by women, minorities, and other vulnerable groups is an appealing ideology for proponents of contemporary neoliberal globalisation. It blames the havoc wreaked by expansive capitalism and global conflicts on the culture of the other”.
Hence, the cultural authenticity discourse provides a perfect alibi for the traditional patriarchs to evade any responsibility to accommodate women’s rights claims; cultural interpretation of women’s subordination relieves rich countries of the responsibility for dispossessions caused by capitalism, neoliberalism, militarism, occupation and armed conflicts.
The good news is, women have not passively submitted to such encroachments. Individually and collectively they have always negotiated hegemonic value. In confronting the culture of domination they have organised and redefined culture and religion to promote women’s rights.
On the other hand, the international human rights framework which women rely on in holding their respective governments accountable to their international commitments, remains abstract, legalistic and distant to women’s lives.
Furthermore, the hierarchical treatment of rights in the human rights system which privileges civil and political rights over economic, social and cultural rights, reinforces neoliberal globalisation.
These will require strategic engagement with the international human rights framework in order to transform the human rights culture, and to ensure that governments comply with their international commitments. With respect to the former, it is important to strategise beyond CEDAW, which women now use effectively. In this regard, the committees monitoring the Twin Covenants are particularly important in challenging the hierarchy and fragmentation of rights. Women’s rights will remain aspirational if women are not empowered through access to housing, land, credit, income and authority.

You will find full article here:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/yakin-erturk/culture-versus-rights-dualism-myth-or-reality

openDemocracy publishes high quality news analysis, debates and blogs about the world and the way we govern ourselves. openDemocracy is committed to human rights and democracy. They aim to ensure that marginalised views and voices are heard.They believe facilitating argument and understanding across geographical boundaries is vital to preventing injustice. openDemocracy encourages special editorial projects which are part of openDemocracy but are run autonomously with their own funding.


The International Metropolis Project – Migration and Diversity

The International Metropolis Project is a forum for bridging research, policy and practice on migration and diversity. The Project aims to enhance academic research capacity, encourage policy-relevant research on migration and diversity issues, and facilitate the use of that research by governments and non-governmental organizations.

The International Metropolis Project is an international network of researchers, policy makers, and community groups engaged in identifying, understanding, and responding to developments in migration and diversity. Through our efforts, we encourage the production and effective communication of policy-relevant knowledge amongst decision-makers, thought leaders, and practitioners. Our network includes partners from across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific and is growing in Africa and Latin America. Our international conferences are the largest annual gathering of experts in the fields of migration and diversity. In addition to a comprehensive study tour program, and just under 100 workshops, our plenary programme offers access to the insights, challenges, and prescriptions of some of the world’s key experts.

In addition to our conferences, the network comes together through shared research projects, publications and informal policy discussions. Exchanges of policy and research expertise is also fostered by smaller Inter-Conference Seminars and publications, including the Journal of International Migration and Integration, that showcase international research on migration and diversity.

Our efforts are governed through a Secretariat, jointly located in Ottawa and Amsterdam, as well as biannual meetings of our International Steering Committee.

The next annual Metropolis conference will return in 2013 with a full event In Tampere, Finland from September 9 to 13.

During 2012 Metropolis will arrange a series of regional Metropolis Inter-Conference Seminars that will be announced in their web.


The Genographic Project – Human Migration and Population Genetics

The map that shows human migration flow from Africa through Arabia

A Landmark Study of the Human Journey

Where do you really come from? And how did you get to where you live today? DNA studies suggest that all humans today descend from a group of African ancestors who—about 60,000 years ago—began a remarkable journey.

The Genographic Project ( hosted by The National Geographic) is seeking to chart new knowledge about the migratory history of the human species by using sophisticated laboratory and computer analysis of DNA contributed by hundreds of thousands of people from around the world. In this unprecedented and of real-time research effort, the Genographic Project is closing the gaps of what science knows today about humankind’s ancient migration stories.

The Genographic Project is a multi-year research initiative led by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Spencer Wells. Dr. Wells and a team of renowned international scientists and IBM researchers, are using cutting-edge genetic and computational technologies to analyze historical patterns in DNA from participants around the world to better understand our human genetic roots. The three components of the project are: to gather field research data in collaboration with indigenous and traditional peoples around the world; to invite the general public to join the project by purchasing a Genographic Project Public Participation Kit; and to use proceeds from Genographic Public Participation Kit sales to further field research and the Genographic Legacy Fund which in turn supports indigenous conservation and revitalization projects.

You will find here the full spectrum of interesting themes like:

– Unique heritage of Afghan population
– Basque roots revealed through DNA analysis
– Genetic Traces of Historical Expansions: Phoenician Footprints in the Mediterranean

And if you want to learn about your deep ancestry you can join The Genographic Project!


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