Comments on: Seeing the Light on a Rights-Based Approach to Development http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/ just asking that aid benefit the poor Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:48:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Avam http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7206 Avam Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:31:12 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7206 Ahh - ok, that makes more sense. I did wonder - so you'd also be going with the second choice then :) Ever done any pro-bono work with 'lawyers without borders?".. Ahh – ok, that makes more sense. I did wonder – so you’d also be going with the second choice then :)

Ever done any pro-bono work with ‘lawyers without borders?”..

]]> By: Matthias http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7205 Matthias Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:56:30 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7205 I think this time it was you who missed the irony in the phrase, Avam. :) Being a lawyer myself, I consider the phrase to be a bit of self-derision, to lighten the talk a bit... I'm sure 'morality' isn't lacking more among lawyers than in other professions, and certainly not economists... it was just a light joke. I think this time it was you who missed the irony in the phrase, Avam. :)

Being a lawyer myself, I consider the phrase to be a bit of self-derision, to lighten the talk a bit…

I’m sure ‘morality’ isn’t lacking more among lawyers than in other professions, and certainly not economists… it was just a light joke.

]]> By: Avam http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7204 Avam Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:02:35 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7204 Only if you truly believe they have no morals; if you are that jaded then a further one could be "development critic without morals", and the list could go on ad nauseum. Unless, you are meaning pleonasm in terms of a phrase that is overused to the point of meaningless? So, 'Lawyers without morals' = lawyers are inherently working against the good of others OR 'Lawyers without morals' - pleaonastic because Lawyers inherently have morals, to the same degree (some more than others) as any other individual in a profession, and to state otherwise is cliched and without basis in reality. Same phrase, but could have two very different meanings. My money is on the second choice. Only if you truly believe they have no morals; if you are that jaded then a further one could be “development critic without morals”, and the list could go on ad nauseum. Unless, you are meaning pleonasm in terms of a phrase that is overused to the point of meaningless?

So, ‘Lawyers without morals’ = lawyers are inherently working against the good of others OR ‘Lawyers without morals’ – pleaonastic because Lawyers inherently have morals, to the same degree (some more than others) as any other individual in a profession, and to state otherwise is cliched and without basis in reality.

Same phrase, but could have two very different meanings. My money is on the second choice.

]]> By: Matthias http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7203 Matthias Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:40:27 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7203 <i>What about “Lawyers Without Morals”?</i> Thats a pleonasm. What about “Lawyers Without Morals”?

Thats a pleonasm.

]]> By: Avam http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7201 Avam Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:08:55 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7201 I think the issue about human rights approaches to development is complex (as evidenced in much of the current writing on it), and clearly cannot be reduced to lawyers/judges/courts or simplistic views regarding what defines a right in one area to one group of people, without taking on board the myriad of other variables that affect this (social, cultural, economic/resource, accountability etc.) But, even taking account of all the criticism surrounding 'rights' - I would agree with Matthias that fundamentally at some level - regardless of culture, tradition, resource use etc, "they are (or should be) the backbone of what a society considers to be the minimum content of human dignity, that for which the State — and hence the body politic — must strive, and incrementally realize" . That said, courts and those that work in the field of law play an equally important role as any other sector (and more than some), so I don't buy into this idea (joking aside) that a lawyer is intrinsically "without morals" as Happy juggler implies (e.g that they have no valid or worthwhile role to play in the governing of civil society). I think the issue about human rights approaches to development is complex (as evidenced in much of the current writing on it), and clearly cannot be reduced to lawyers/judges/courts or simplistic views regarding what defines a right in one area to one group of people, without taking on board the myriad of other variables that affect this (social, cultural, economic/resource, accountability etc.) But, even taking account of all the criticism surrounding ‘rights’ – I would agree with Matthias that fundamentally at some level – regardless of culture, tradition, resource use etc, “they are (or should be) the backbone of what a society considers to be the minimum content of human dignity, that for which the State — and hence the body politic — must strive, and incrementally realize” .

That said, courts and those that work in the field of law play an equally important role as any other sector (and more than some), so I don’t buy into this idea (joking aside) that a lawyer is intrinsically “without morals” as Happy juggler implies (e.g that they have no valid or worthwhile role to play in the governing of civil society).

]]> By: Avam http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7200 Avam Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:53:30 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7200 Just opened the link, interesting - and not that surprising really. It looks like a good and well-needed org. Just opened the link, interesting – and not that surprising really. It looks like a good and well-needed org.

]]> By: happyjuggler0 http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7199 happyjuggler0 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:52:56 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7199 How about "Lawyers Without Morals"? How about “Lawyers Without Morals”?

]]> By: Martin http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7197 Martin Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:27:04 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7197 I'm afraid you were beaten to it: http://www.lawyerswithoutborders.org/Pages/Default.aspx I’m afraid you were beaten to it:
http://www.lawyerswithoutborders.org/Pages/Default.aspx

]]> By: Avam http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7194 Avam Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:56:33 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7194 Thanks Mathias, no offense taken (and yes, I was being sarcastic with the lawyer post). re "catchy acronym" - Lawyers without Borders gets my vote. Thanks Mathias, no offense taken (and yes, I was being sarcastic with the lawyer post).

re “catchy acronym” – Lawyers without Borders gets my vote.

]]> By: Iyinoluwa Aboyeji http://aidwatchers.com/2009/11/seeing-the-light-on-a-rights-based-approach-to-development/comment-page-1/#comment-7193 Iyinoluwa Aboyeji Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:55:02 +0000 http://aidwatchers.com/?p=1457#comment-7193 Scratch that: Lawyers without borders Scratch that:

Lawyers without borders

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