Human dignity, human security, terrorism and counter-terrorism

Abstract

At least participants of the human rights discourse intuitively tend to think about human dignity when hearing the word ‘dignity’, but about national or public security when hearing a reference to ‘security’. Thereby dignity tends to have a positive connotation in human rights circles, while security may primarily be seen as a threat to the full enjoyment of human rights. A closer look into the two notions will, however, reveal that both dignity and security will require a nuanced treatment when addressed in a human rights perspective. In this brief chapter it is suggested that a human rights approach to combating terrorism emphasises both human dignity and human security as the proper way to frame the discourse. The chapter will address these two concepts and discuss their relevance in the fight against terrorism, ending by linking the two notions also to the definition of terrorism. Here, the author relies upon Immanuel Kant’s appeal to reason and his formulation of the categorical imperative as a maxim that any rational person must never treat another human being as mere means but always also as an end.