ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book lays out the scope, methodology, and rationale for this work. It establishes the framework within which the topic of human rights is explored, underscoring the interconnectedness of world cultures and world societies in ancient and modern times. The book focuses on the binaries of theory versus practice and ideas versus events to offer a range of insights into the history and evolution of human rights. It examines the bodies of literature and traditions that inform these scholars’ understandings and theories on human rights. The book surveys the origins and history of Islamic civilization to identify the actors and subjects of human rights abuses. It presents the archetypal cases that combine internal strife and international geopolitics. The book introduces a case involving both Islamic and Western actors, which underscores both the political and global nature of human rights discourse. .
