Alexandra is a Professor of Law at Brunel University London. ~She has been recognised for her work on the rights of minorities and indigenous peoples in international law. Her monograph Indigenous Rights and United Nations Standards: Self-determination, Culture and Land (Cambridge University Press, 2007 and 2010) is considered a reference source. She has published also on multiculturalism, integration and migrant rights. She enjoys close links with the United Nations fora on minorities and indigenous rights and has worked closely with several NGOs. She has advised States on their position on indigenous rights and has trained civil servants, indigenous leaders and lawyers in the UK, South Africa, Malaysia, Vietnam and Ukraine. At the moment, Alexandra is working on the cultural rights of sub-national groups in international human rights law and on the rights of migrants.
Indigenous Cultural Rights in International Law 345 indigenous child 'to enjoy his/her cultu... more Indigenous Cultural Rights in International Law 345 indigenous child 'to enjoy his/her culture' (Article 30). The 1978 UNESCO Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice also emphasizes the right of all individuals and groups (emphasis added) 'to be different' (Articles 1 and 5). ...
Multiculturalism is a concept that recognises and celebrates cultural identities. Opponents of mu... more Multiculturalism is a concept that recognises and celebrates cultural identities. Opponents of multiculturalism argue that multiculturalism policies contribute to extremism, because they lead to the segregation of groups. This chapter addresses the criticisms that the multicultural ideal currently faces by employing current international law. According to C. Taylor, the autonomous, self-determining individual needs a social matrix that promotes in practice this exact idea of autonomy and gives opportunities for the individual to practice and develop her autonomy. Multiculturalism is also accused of devaluating national identity. The mere recognition of multiple identities does not lead to a truly multicultural society, as segregation can surface through measures aimed at the protection of the groups' distinctiveness. Criticisms against multiculturalism have been mainly based on a model that ignores the interaction between groups. Keywords: extremism; international law; multiculturalism; national identity; segregation
The British Library Document Supply Centre eBooks, 2001
Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN052607 / BLDSC - British Library Doc... more Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN052607 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo
This chapter examines the rights to culture in Articles 11(1), 12, 13(1), and 34. The freedom of ... more This chapter examines the rights to culture in Articles 11(1), 12, 13(1), and 34. The freedom of indigenous peoples to have their indigenous identities and cultures respected has been the main incentive for their struggle and one of the main reasons for the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The recognition of indigenous cultural rights is deeply rooted in the principle of respect of the diversity and richness of their identities, the end of historical injustices committed against them, and the principle of self-determination, all of which are incorporated in the preamble of the Declaration. Unfortunately, patterns of expropriation of indigenous religious and cultural objects and neglect, even destruction of indigenous cultural manifestations, still continue. In addition, new waves of tourism beyond ‘the beaten truck’ commodify important indigenous historical and archaeological sites. It is therefore of no surprise that the protection of culture is so important in the whole text of the Declaration.
The International Journal of Human Rights, May 21, 2021
ABSTRACT This article introduces the special issue of the International Journal of Human Rights o... more ABSTRACT This article introduces the special issue of the International Journal of Human Rights on the cultural and linguistic rights of minorities and indigenous peoples. The right to cultural life is at the core of all human identities but indigenous peoples and minorities have particular rights to protect their collective identities, which are more easily eroded by dominant culture(s) or due to harmful practices such as involuntary assimilation. The conference brought together scholars and activists to examine such threats in practice and to discuss the role of law and social mobilisation by minorities and indigenous peoples in response. The impact of recent events such as Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter transnational mobilisation are discussed in this introduction to illustrate how these major contemporary events also relate to cultural rights. The article provides an overview of the inter-disciplinary articles included in the special issue, which focus on key illustrative case studies of threats to cultural and linguistic rights across regions. The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is a focus in several of the articles, as is with the role of international human rights law in protecting cultural and linguistic rights.
Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination Nazila Ghanea am Alexandra Xanthaki (Eds.) ... Minorit... more Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination Nazila Ghanea am Alexandra Xanthaki (Eds.) ... Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination Essays in Honour of Patrick Thornberry ... Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination Essays in Honour of Patrick Thornberry ...
Massad makes an important argument regarding self-determination, one that has started being centr... more Massad makes an important argument regarding self-determination, one that has started being central in the way we tackle the realisation of indigenous self-determination in the future. From being seen as a perfect example of a new, more inclusive era of human rights law, indigenous self-determination increasingly invites questions about its real contribution to indigenous struggles for a better future. In this context, Massad’s piece makes an important contribution
Indigenous Cultural Rights in International Law 345 indigenous child 'to enjoy his/her cultu... more Indigenous Cultural Rights in International Law 345 indigenous child 'to enjoy his/her culture' (Article 30). The 1978 UNESCO Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice also emphasizes the right of all individuals and groups (emphasis added) 'to be different' (Articles 1 and 5). ...
Multiculturalism is a concept that recognises and celebrates cultural identities. Opponents of mu... more Multiculturalism is a concept that recognises and celebrates cultural identities. Opponents of multiculturalism argue that multiculturalism policies contribute to extremism, because they lead to the segregation of groups. This chapter addresses the criticisms that the multicultural ideal currently faces by employing current international law. According to C. Taylor, the autonomous, self-determining individual needs a social matrix that promotes in practice this exact idea of autonomy and gives opportunities for the individual to practice and develop her autonomy. Multiculturalism is also accused of devaluating national identity. The mere recognition of multiple identities does not lead to a truly multicultural society, as segregation can surface through measures aimed at the protection of the groups' distinctiveness. Criticisms against multiculturalism have been mainly based on a model that ignores the interaction between groups. Keywords: extremism; international law; multiculturalism; national identity; segregation
The British Library Document Supply Centre eBooks, 2001
Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN052607 / BLDSC - British Library Doc... more Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN052607 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo
This chapter examines the rights to culture in Articles 11(1), 12, 13(1), and 34. The freedom of ... more This chapter examines the rights to culture in Articles 11(1), 12, 13(1), and 34. The freedom of indigenous peoples to have their indigenous identities and cultures respected has been the main incentive for their struggle and one of the main reasons for the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The recognition of indigenous cultural rights is deeply rooted in the principle of respect of the diversity and richness of their identities, the end of historical injustices committed against them, and the principle of self-determination, all of which are incorporated in the preamble of the Declaration. Unfortunately, patterns of expropriation of indigenous religious and cultural objects and neglect, even destruction of indigenous cultural manifestations, still continue. In addition, new waves of tourism beyond ‘the beaten truck’ commodify important indigenous historical and archaeological sites. It is therefore of no surprise that the protection of culture is so important in the whole text of the Declaration.
The International Journal of Human Rights, May 21, 2021
ABSTRACT This article introduces the special issue of the International Journal of Human Rights o... more ABSTRACT This article introduces the special issue of the International Journal of Human Rights on the cultural and linguistic rights of minorities and indigenous peoples. The right to cultural life is at the core of all human identities but indigenous peoples and minorities have particular rights to protect their collective identities, which are more easily eroded by dominant culture(s) or due to harmful practices such as involuntary assimilation. The conference brought together scholars and activists to examine such threats in practice and to discuss the role of law and social mobilisation by minorities and indigenous peoples in response. The impact of recent events such as Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter transnational mobilisation are discussed in this introduction to illustrate how these major contemporary events also relate to cultural rights. The article provides an overview of the inter-disciplinary articles included in the special issue, which focus on key illustrative case studies of threats to cultural and linguistic rights across regions. The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is a focus in several of the articles, as is with the role of international human rights law in protecting cultural and linguistic rights.
Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination Nazila Ghanea am Alexandra Xanthaki (Eds.) ... Minorit... more Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination Nazila Ghanea am Alexandra Xanthaki (Eds.) ... Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination Essays in Honour of Patrick Thornberry ... Minorities, Peoples and Self-Determination Essays in Honour of Patrick Thornberry ...
Massad makes an important argument regarding self-determination, one that has started being centr... more Massad makes an important argument regarding self-determination, one that has started being central in the way we tackle the realisation of indigenous self-determination in the future. From being seen as a perfect example of a new, more inclusive era of human rights law, indigenous self-determination increasingly invites questions about its real contribution to indigenous struggles for a better future. In this context, Massad’s piece makes an important contribution
Although recognized both in the ILO Convention No169 and in the UN Declaration on the Rights of I... more Although recognized both in the ILO Convention No169 and in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the right of indigenous peoples to maintain their customary laws and systems continues to be a rather unexplored issue in legal literature. Until recently, customary laws of indigenous peoples have mainly been explored by social anthropologists (e.g., Bennet 2006), while largely legal experts still mainly focused on written and codified ‘positive’ law (however, see Weisbrot 1981: 3–4). The recognition of such laws though is really important for indigenous peoples. Embedded in the culture and values of indigenous communities, indigenous customary laws are an intrinsic and central part of their way of life and their identity. They define rights and responsibilities relating to key aspects of their cultures and world views, and guide indigenous communities on a wide range of issues; from the conduct of spiritual life, to land, and to use of and access to resources. Maintaining customary laws can be crucial for the maintenance of the cultural heritage and knowledge systems of indigenous peoples. Indigenous communities all around the world have steadily argued that any legal regime for the protection of their knowledge must be grounded in their own customary laws and practices.
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