The notion of human dignity plays a central role in human rights discourse. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognition of the inherent dignity and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. The international Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and on Civil and Political Rights state that all human rights derive from inherent dignity of the human person. Some modern constitutions include human dignity as a fundamental non-derogable right; others mention it as a right to be protected alongside other rights. It is not only lawyers concerned with human rights who have to contend with the concept of human dignity. The concept has been discussed by, inter alia, theologians, philosophers, and anthropologists. In this book leading scholars in constitutional and international law, human rights, theology, philosophy, history and classics, from various countries, discuss the concept of human dignity from differing perspectives. These perspectives help to elucidate the meaning of the concept in human rights discourse.

Foreword; E. Klein, D. Kretzmer. On the Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for the Emergence of the Doctrine of the Dignity of Man and His Rights; Y. Arieli. 'Dignity of Man' and 'Persona' in Stoic Anthropology: Some Remarks on Cicero, De Officiis I, 105-107; H. Cancik. Legal Roots of Human Dignity in German Law; J. Eckert. Blood and the Image of God: On the Sanctity of Life in Biblical and Early Rabbinic Law, Myth, and Ritual; Y. Lorberbaum. Can Ethical Maxims be Derived from Theological Concepts of Human Dignity? D. Ritschl. Human Dignity in a Rabbinical Perspective; C. Safrai. The Founding Function of Human Dignity in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; K. Dicke. Human Dignity in International Law; J.Abr. Frowein. Human Dignity as a Constitutional Value; A. Chaskalson. Human Dignity in German Law; E. Klein. Human Dignity in Israeli Jurisprudence; D. Kretzmer. The Religious and Philosophical Background of Human Dignity and its Place in Modern Constitutions; C. Starck. Dignity als a Modern Virtue; M. Meyer. Humiliation, Dignity and Self-Respect; D. Statman. Honor and Dignity Cultures: The Case of Kavod and Kvod Ha-Adam in Israeli Society and Law; O. Kamir. Honor, Dignity and the Framing of Multiculturalist Values; D. Weisstub. Index.