29 August 2024. Beehive Seminar: Imperialism, Business and Human Rights with Dalia Palombo
29 August 2024
4 - 5 pm
Online
Imperialism, Business and Human Rights
Business and Human Rights could arguably be described as a counter-hegemonic project. The field emerged to counter the governance and accountability gaps generated by the power asymmetry between multinationals, often described as neo-colonialist global actors, and people detrimentally impacted by their corporate activities. Businesses are often considered as “the problem”, while human rights would be “the solution” to addressing inequalities determined by the current global economic system. However, human rights are not themselves exempt from a neo-colonialist or Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) critique, which makes human rights law a questionable saviour of businesses.
In this seminar, Dr. Dalia Palombo will present on her current research project, which will argue that, to liberate the business and human rights field from its imperial legacies, it is necessary to reconceptualize it around non-Western foundations of human rights and businesses. These alternative foundations can be found by investigating methodologies, approaches, and philosophies originating in the Global South and, in particular, from indigenous cultures. They are often centred around empathy, solidarity, and nature. They challenge the state centrism of human rights and propose alternative approaches that could help refocus the business and human rights field around people and the environment detrimentally impacted by corporate activities