Abstract

This lecture is structured like a Hegelian triade. The initial thesis states the fundamental equality of all human beings, which is the core of the human rights philosophy. The antithesis acknowledges the fact of the nation-state which is a serious obstacle to the full implementation of human rights because of its intrinsic exclusive nature. The synthesis sketches a reconciliation of the two first thesis by introducing the concept of regional integration, typically the European Union, as a framework of an inchoate cosmopolitan order which would respect both human rights and national sovereignties.