Chapter Two. Emergence Of The Human Rights Phenomenon In Finland

Abstract

This chapter examines how the human rights phenomenon has evolved both in Finland and internationally since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted. By connecting this analysis to post-World War II era political developments, the chapter observes how the human rights discourse has moved from the periphery of the Finnish society to its centre. The chapter investigates how the rise of human rights development is reflected in the Finnish context by examining three elements of the human rights phenomenon: the human rights discourse, the community and artifacts. It considers the contemporary human rights phenomenon to have commenced with the adoption of the UDHR in 1948. Expansion has been the most salient element of the global human rights phenomenon. Thematic expansion of academic invocations has been accompanied by a steady increase of academic journals focussing on human rights.Keywords: Finnish human rights discourse; global human rights phenomenon; Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)