Blasphemy And Defamation of Religions In a Polarized World - by Darara Timotewos Gubo (Hardcover)

About the Book

A growing importance of religion in international politics has resulted in rising polarization among nation states, which in turn has presented new challenges to international human rights principles. This book deals with some of these new challenges in Muslim states and their...

Book Synopsis

A growing importance of religion in international politics has resulted in rising polarization among nation states, which in turn has presented new challenges to international human rights principles. This book deals with some of these new challenges in Muslim states and their impact on human rights, and offers a solution.

Review Quotes

Darara Gubo's effort is a must-read for anyone interested in learning about the phenomenon of defamation of religion and the challenge it poses to universal human rights norms.

Darara Timotewas Gubo has written a highly useful book about one of the most contentious debates confronting human rights advocates and scholars. . . The book is particularly insightful because Gubo studies a diverse range of cases, including laws protecting religions from blasphemy and defamation in the context of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as blasphemy laws within Europe.

The international human right of religious freedom is being steadily undermined by legislative and judicial actions abroad in response to demands to protect particular sects and religions. Understanding this development is critically important. The basis of all freedom is individual religious freedom, as American founders understood.But will America be able to withstand the global pressure as blasphemy and defamation codes gain broad international acceptance and legitimacy. In this book, Darara Gubo makes a welcome contribution to understanding this underestimated threat.

This meticulous research in laws of blasphemy and defamation to uncover the roots of violations of human rights in many parts of the world is a timely contribution to understanding the clause about freedom of conscience and religion in different cultures and traditions. This study has admiringly treated the topic evenhandedly, providing a history and contours of religious and theological culture of intolerance and violence. More pertinently, by avoiding the pitfalls of polemics against any particular group, the author has advanced our understanding of the need to promote fundamental freedoms guaranteed in the international document on human rights by seeking a critical, but constructive, conversation with the upholders of the historical Islamic juridical heritage that is widely used in the Muslim world to deny the rights of religious minorities to practice their religion.

About the Author

Darara Gubo recently received his JSD in intercultural human rights law at St. Thomas University.