Human Rights at the End of Neoliberalism

This book investigates the complex relationship between human rights and neoliberalism, questioning the common belief that human rights are either part of neoliberal hegemony or are ineffective in challenging it. Drawing on empirical data that presents the experiences of radical social movement activists in the UK and beyond, John L.M. Duncan presents a new, alternative perspective on how human rights may be radicalised to disrupt neoliberal hegemony. Exploring three key themes of activist use of human rights — rejection of hegemonic legal and NGO structures, use of human rights as a tool for movement-building and contesting the commodification of areas of social reproduction such as education, housing and welfare — the book offers an original understanding of the nature of neoliberalism and its reliance on such commodification. Duncan builds on the work of Social Reproduction Theory to examine how this commodification is understood as a means of reproducing the conditions upon which capitalism functions and reinforces gendered, racial and disability hierarchies. By highlighting how activists engage with human rights in ways that directly challenge the neoliberal hegemony, this book reveals how human rights could be sharpened into a critical tool for social transformation when used outside mainstream frameworks.