Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HuDig19 (Making Humans: Human Dignity in Nineteenth-Century France)
Période du rapport: 2021-10-01 au 2023-09-30
The Action ‘Making Humans: Human Dignity in 19th century France’ (HuDig19), explores how human dignity was used in nineteenth-century France. While today this notion is used to justify the equality of all human beings, and is defined as the cornerstone the rule of law, in nineteenth-century France, the opposite was taking place. Indeed, human dignity was used to conceal injustices and to justify inequalities. The reason why human dignity had such a different meaning comes from the fact that it was not understood as a moral principle or a legal value, as it is commonly understood in our current political systems. Human dignity was first and foremost conceived as an inner feeling, namely, the actual awareness of how a human being should behave in society. Human dignity was therefore tied to a specific "emotional regime", where emotions and behaviour suchs as self-mastery, empathy, work ethics and civility were praised. Consequently, only those who had such awareness where fully "humans".
Nowadays, human dignity refers to the absolute and equal worthiness of all human beings. It is the cornerstone of the international human rights regime and a basic principle of E.U nations. It is also a fundamental criterion in privacy law, bioethics and AI regulation. This sharp contrast with its previous use in nineteenth-century France is critical for our current democratic societies since it reveals two fundamental aspects. On the one hand, the intuition according to which human beings should be equally respected is much more recent (and fragile) as one would imagine. Second, the category of the "human" is not per se progressive and equalitarian. It depends on other social and cultural elements that will provide its political orientation.
The Objectives of the Action have been to (a) show how, in the 19th century, human dignity was relevant in the making of people's moral character, the latter being understood as a key element for the progress of a nation; (b) to demonstrate how human dignity relied on a twofold process: some (e.g bourgeoisie) were humanity, while others (e.g colonized nations, women, working class) had an incomplete humanity; and (c) to conceive our currrent and future struggles for equality and justice, as new forms of "politics of dignity". Taking into account the rapid changes regarding climate change and new technologies in our post-pandemic times, these objectives (c), have gained a greater relevance during the Action.
Nowadays, human dignity refers to the absolute and equal worthiness of all human beings. It is the cornerstone of the international human rights regime and a basic principle of E.U nations. It is also a fundamental criterion in privacy law, bioethics and AI regulation. This sharp contrast with its previous use in nineteenth-century France is critical for our current democratic societies since it reveals two fundamental aspects. On the one hand, the intuition according to which human beings should be equally respected is much more recent (and fragile) as one would imagine. Second, the category of the "human" is not per se progressive and equalitarian. It depends on other social and cultural elements that will provide its political orientation.
The Objectives of the Action have been to (a) show how, in the 19th century, human dignity was relevant in the making of people's moral character, the latter being understood as a key element for the progress of a nation; (b) to demonstrate how human dignity relied on a twofold process: some (e.g bourgeoisie) were humanity, while others (e.g colonized nations, women, working class) had an incomplete humanity; and (c) to conceive our currrent and future struggles for equality and justice, as new forms of "politics of dignity". Taking into account the rapid changes regarding climate change and new technologies in our post-pandemic times, these objectives (c), have gained a greater relevance during the Action.
The Action was conducted through five (5) Work Packages (WPs). WP1 resulted in five monitoring sessions with the Fellow's Supervisors, and four coaching sessions with professional coaches. This WP1 has enabled the MSCA Fellow to build a professional network outside the academia. As a matter of fact, the Researcher is also now working as a consultant for consulting companies in the field of EU Projects and International Development Aide. WP2 comprised the publication of four (4) articles in high impact journals (such as the Lancet Regional Health-Americas), the publication and co-edition of monograph, the edition of one (1) journal Special Issue, and the forthcoming publication of three (3) book chapters. WP3 refered to the organization of an international event, hold at the host institution on September 12, 2023, that gathered experts and academics on issues regarding human rights, new technologies, climate crisis and development aide. WP4 defined the dissimination of the Action with the organization of three (3) International Workshops and Seminars, and five (5) papers' presentations at international conferences/events. WP5 referred to the communication of the Action. Five (5) pieces were published and written in Online and Media coverage, along with two (2) interviews in International Medias with large audiences (e.g Radio Télévision Suisse).
The Fellow was appointed as a Researcher at: (a) the Centre de Théorie et Analyse du Droit,C.N.R.S (Paris) and (b) the Center for Contemporary Critical Theory, at Columbia University (New-York).]
The Results of the Action are (b) a book on human dignity. This monograph co-edited by the Fellow challenges our basic comprehension of human dignity and call for a reexamination of the idea; (b) academic papers related to contemporary "politics of dignity" in the fields of new tecnololgies, social justice and climate crisis (c) A high impact dissemination strategy engaging with international public media, on the need to protect our human agency regarding the develpment of Artificial Intelligence. Also, the Fellow is deeply involved with the EURAXESS network, promoting the E.U Horizon Europe Postdoctoral Fellowships in an online event.
The Fellow was appointed as a Researcher at: (a) the Centre de Théorie et Analyse du Droit,C.N.R.S (Paris) and (b) the Center for Contemporary Critical Theory, at Columbia University (New-York).]
The Results of the Action are (b) a book on human dignity. This monograph co-edited by the Fellow challenges our basic comprehension of human dignity and call for a reexamination of the idea; (b) academic papers related to contemporary "politics of dignity" in the fields of new tecnololgies, social justice and climate crisis (c) A high impact dissemination strategy engaging with international public media, on the need to protect our human agency regarding the develpment of Artificial Intelligence. Also, the Fellow is deeply involved with the EURAXESS network, promoting the E.U Horizon Europe Postdoctoral Fellowships in an online event.
This Action has broader our understanding of human dignity in many ways. The two Special Issues the Fellow has co-edited provide, on the one hand, new insights on the philosophical history of human dignity and its relevance in the 19th century. On the other, they also reveal how nowadays our understanding of the value of the human being is challenged new technologies and climate change. As a matter of fact, the impact of the Action is such that the Fellow has published a paper in the prestigious journal, "The Lancet Regional Health-Amercias", where the connexion between human dignity and the right to health is established. The seminars, workshops and conferences attended and organized by the Fellow has enabled to consolidate the Action. In particular, the Fellow key-note speech during an event at Columbia University (NYC) has been attended by more than 300 people online.
The Action has also led to the creation (in 2023) of an International Research Consortium: "Human Dignity, New Technologies and Climate Resilience". The Consortium involves researchers from the Law School of the University Leicester (UK), the Philosophy Departement of the Erasmus University of Rotterdam (NL), the Law School of PUC-Rio University (BR), the Catholic University of Lille (FR), and EHESS Paris (FR).The Consortium providing a transdiciplinary approach that aims at uptading the notion of human dignity regarding two main challenges: the climate crisis and new technologies.
The online and media coverage has also enabled to disseminate strategically new concepts resulting from the Action. In particular, the notion of "AI-Free Sanctuaries", namely, the creation of spaces free from Artificial Intelligence, has been published (in three languages) in the online Journal "The Conversation". Data show that 9,663 readers have been reading the pieces of the Fellow (on Nov. 2023).
Impacts anticipated from the Action are : the inclusion of a novel concept, "Biodignity" in international/political debates, especially regarding the impacts of human societies on climate change; the progressive use of "AI Free Sanctuaries" in the fields of Artificial Intelligence regulations ; (c) the comprehension of human dignity as the cornestone of global democracy and human rights.
The Action has also led to the creation (in 2023) of an International Research Consortium: "Human Dignity, New Technologies and Climate Resilience". The Consortium involves researchers from the Law School of the University Leicester (UK), the Philosophy Departement of the Erasmus University of Rotterdam (NL), the Law School of PUC-Rio University (BR), the Catholic University of Lille (FR), and EHESS Paris (FR).The Consortium providing a transdiciplinary approach that aims at uptading the notion of human dignity regarding two main challenges: the climate crisis and new technologies.
The online and media coverage has also enabled to disseminate strategically new concepts resulting from the Action. In particular, the notion of "AI-Free Sanctuaries", namely, the creation of spaces free from Artificial Intelligence, has been published (in three languages) in the online Journal "The Conversation". Data show that 9,663 readers have been reading the pieces of the Fellow (on Nov. 2023).
Impacts anticipated from the Action are : the inclusion of a novel concept, "Biodignity" in international/political debates, especially regarding the impacts of human societies on climate change; the progressive use of "AI Free Sanctuaries" in the fields of Artificial Intelligence regulations ; (c) the comprehension of human dignity as the cornestone of global democracy and human rights.