Supporting Human Dignity and Human Rights

Abstract

Technical and professional communication (TPC), like human-centered design, has long been human centric. But TPC struggles with the complexities of determining which humans are at the center of our work. This article proposes that an explicit consideration of human dignity and human rights can help us to navigate these complexities by reflecting upon whether our work harmonizes with the notion that every person has intrinsic worth. To illustrate, I present findings from exploratory research with nonelite Rwandan youth in which participants conveyed the roles and effects of technology-mediated communication and information and communication technology in their lives. I assert that as TPC begins engaging more explicitly with human dignity and human rights, we should adopt a perspective inspired by human-centered design scholar Richard Buchanan: embracing human dignity and human rights as the first principle of communication and the foundational value of the TPC field.