"Rights and Democracy: Some Thoughts Concerning the Co-originality Thesis"

Tarizzo will join Stanford graduate students for a workshop on "Rights and Democracy: Some Thoughts Concerning the Co-originality Thesis." The co-originality thesis says that modern democracy relies on two equiprimordial principles: human rights and popular sovereignty. On the one hand, democratic procedures of opinion- and will-formation require the enforcement of some fundamental human rights. On the other, the enforcement of such rights can only be achieved through active law-making and the exercise of popular sovereignty. The thesis is normative: it states that democracy and rights ought to be considered jointly. Yet it does not explain how to make sense of international human rights norms, which do not go through any process of democratic deliberation and legitimation at a supranational or transnational level. Failed attempts to solve this problem (Habermas, Benhabib) teach us something about the current crisis of democracy.

This event is open to all Stanford graduate students and to others by invitation. Please note that space is limited. Contact SHC Events Planner Eric Ortiz (erortiz@stanford.edu) with any questions.