Rights Culture

ABSTRACT: Critical race theorists, along with some feminists, have rightly pointed out that rights-based politics has not proven to be an effective remedy for the social ills of racial and gender inequality, discrimination, and oppression. They have called for the abolition of some political institutions but not of rights themselves. This essay explores whether their arguments should be taken further in that direction, by addressing the following questions: (1) How many ways are there to clarify what makes a right a right ? (2) What is it about the idea of a right that leads most political activists to retain the idea rather than dispense with it—despite having theoretical reservations about it? (3) What are the costs of this rights orientation? (4) What benefits might come into view if political activism did not proceed under the banner of claiming and securing rights?