Personal Identity And The European Court Of Human Rights

In this new and burgeoning field in legal and human rights thought, this edited collection explores, by reference to applied philosophy and case law, how the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has developed and presented a right to personal identity, largely through interpretation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Divided into three parts, the collection interrogates: firstly, the construction of personal identity rights at the ECtHR; secondly, whose identity rights are protected; and thirdly, the limits of identity rights. The collection is the first in the Routledge Studies in Law and Humanity series. Contributions from nine leading and emerging legal scholars from the UK, Ireland and continental Europe explore how the right has developed, rights to identity and marriage, LGBTI+, persons with disabilities, religious and cultural issues and critical perspectives on the social construction and framing of the right. The collection is primarily aimed at scholars and advanced students, particularly of human rights law and its theory, Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law, and those interested in ECtHR jurisprudence, and those interested in the connection between theories of inclusion, belonging and rights, including human rights lawyers.

By analysing the European Court of Human Rightsa (TM) jurisprudence and philosophical debates on personal autonomy, identity and integrity, the book offers a critical analysis of the possibility of different versions of personal freedom emerging in the case law which may restrict rather than enhance personal freedom.

This book explores the role human rights law plays in the formation, and protection, of our personal identities. Drawing from a range of disciplines, Jill Marshall examines how human rights law includes and excludes specific types of identity, which feed into moral norms of human freedom and human dignity and their translation into legal rights. The book takes on a three part structure. Part I traces the definition of identity, and follows the evolution of, and protects, a right to personal identity and personality within human rights law. It specifically examines the development of a right to personal identity as property, the inter-subjective nature of identity, and the intercession of power and inequality. Part II evaluates past and contemporary attempts to describe the core of personal identity, including theories concerning the soul, the rational mind, and the growing influence of neuroscience and genetics in explaining what it means to be human. It also explores the inter-relation and conflict between universal principles and culturally specific rights. Part III focuses on issues and case law that can be interpreted as allowing self-determination. Marshall argues that while in an age of individual identity, people are increasingly obliged to live in conformed ways, pushing out identities that do not fit with what is acceptable. Drawing on feminist theory, the book concludes by arguing how human rights law would be better interpreted as a force to enable respect for human dignity and freedom, interpreted as empowerment and self-determination whilst acknowledging our inter-subjective identities. In drawing on socio-legal, philosophical, biological and feminist outlooks, this book is truly interdisciplinary, and will be of great interest and use to scholars and students of human rights law, legal and social theory, gender and cultural studies.

In recent years, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) gained unexpected relevance in the European constitutional culture. On the one hand, its increasing importance is closely linked to institutional reforms that strengthened the European Court of Human Rights' reputation vis-a-vis the Member States. On the other hand, and even more importantly, the ECHR's significance arises from a changing perception of its constitutional potential. Starting with the assumption that the ECHR is transforming the European constitutional landscape, this book shows that the European Convention raises unprecedented problems that involve, first of all, its own theoretical status as constitutional instrument that ensures the protection of human rights in Europe. Changing paradigms concerning its incorporation in domestic law, as well as the growing conflicts about the protection of some rights and liberties that are deeply rooted in national legal contexts (such as teaching of religion, bio law, and rights of political minorities), are jointly examined in order to offer a unified methodology for the study of European constitutional law centered upon human rights. For a detailed analysis of these issues, the book examines the different facets of the ECHR's constitutional relevance by separating the ECHR's role as a 'factor of Europeanization' for national constitutional systems (Part I) from its role as a veritable European transnational constitution in the field of human rights (Part II). Written for legal scholars focusing on the emerging trends of European and transnational constitutional law, the book investigates the basic tenets of the role of the ECHR as a cornerstone of European constitutionalism.

The European Convention on Human Rights guarantees equality among human beings by means of two provisions that prohibit discrimination: On the one hand, Article 14 of the Convention, ratified by all member states of the Council of Europe; and, On the other hand, The first article of Protocol No. 12, ratified by only some of the members. The content of the prohibition laid down by these two provisions is the same, The only difference is in the extent of their scope: whereas Article 14 prohibits discrimination in the "enjoyment of rights and freedoms set forth by the present Convention", The first article of Protocol No. 12 prohibits discrimination in a broader sense in the "enjoyment of all rights set forth by law". This study proposes an insight into the case law of the European Court of Human Rights on discrimination with respect both To The main principles which guide its implementation and To The specific solutions which the Court has adopted in relation to discrimination. Other questions examined include the scope of the prohibition of discrimination (to what does it apply?), The question of the content of such a prohibition (what precise obligations does it imply?), and last, The question of a judicial review (how does the Court assess compliance with it?).The "Human rights files" series is aimed at specialists in European law: lawyers, practitioners and research students. it also constitutes a useful resource For The implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights in the signatory states.

The place of the European Convention on Human Rights within the legal order of the European Union has been the subject of much controversy over the past twenty years. It is now almost 25 years since the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg first referred specifically to the Human Rights Convention in one of its judgments. Since then it has considered and commented on almost all of the substantive articles of the Human Rights Convention in the context of European Community law. For the first time, these references to the European Convention on Human Rights by the European Court of Justice, the Court of First Instance and the Advocates General of the two Courts have been brought together and published by reference to the substantive right under consideration. This book presents extensive extracts from these cases, permitting the reader to follow the development of the Court's thinking on each article of the European Convention on Human Rights. It is an invaluable reference work for any practitioner, academic lawyer or student working in the field either of human rights or European Community law, who needs to look at the actual source material on the Court of Justice's handling of its Member States' human rights obligations.

The European Convention on Human Rights is one of the world's most important and influential human rights documents. It owes its value mainly to the European Court of Human Rights, which applies the Convention rights in individual cases. This book offers insight into the concepts and principles that are key to understanding the European Convention and the Court's case law. It explains how the Court approaches its cases and its decision-making process, illustrated by numerous examples taken from the Court's judgments. Core issues discussed include types of Convention rights (such as absolute rights); the structure of the Court's Convention rights review; principles and methods of interpretation (such as common-ground interpretation and the use of precedent); positive and negative obligations; vertical and horizontal effect; the margin of appreciation doctrine; and the requirements for the restriction of Convention rights.

This book examines donor conception and the search for information by donor-conceived people. It details differing regulatory approaches across the globe, including those that provide for ‘open-identity’ or anonymous donation, or that take a ‘dual-track’ approach. In doing so, it identifies models regarding the recording and release of information about donors that may assist in the further development of the law, policy and associated practices. Arguments for and against donor anonymity are considered, and specifically critiqued. The study highlights contrasting reasoning and emphasis upon various interests and factors that may underpin secrecy, anonymity or openness. The book will be of value to academics, students and legal practitioners involved with this area. It is also relevant to policy makers, health practitioners and anyone with an interest in the subject.