“From a political perspective, it is important to uphold certain universal principles so that, for example, you can condemn both Islamist forms of violence and injustice as well as forms of violence and injustice from other groups - some superpowers, for example, or the English Defence League, as other examples.” WellsImportantFormPoliticalCertainPrinciplesViolenceGroupsExamplePerspectiveUniversalInjusticeLeagueDefenceSuperpowerIslamists Author:Alison Assiter
“I believe that a concept that may have some flaws is nonetheless important as a tool to critique abuses on all sides of the political spectrum. In the end, I think that a more useful 'universal' concept than that of a 'right', though, is a 'need'.” ThinkingNeedsBelieveMayImportantEndsPoliticalI BelieveSidesConceptsToolsUniversalAbuseFlawsSpectrumCritiquePolitical Spectrum Author:Alison Assiter
“The universal basis for the categorisation 'woman' will, no doubt, be constantly shifting but it is important not to deny it's existence altogether. There is a partly biological basis for this identification. The 'nature' of woman may be conceptualised in the early Greek sense of a force or a power, in its turn shaped by forces outside it, rather than in terms of some set of properties.” MayImportantTurnsForceTermExistenceDoubtUniversalBasesPropertyDenyGreekNo DoubtShiftingIdentification Author:Alison Assiter
“Whatever the universal perspective one adopts, it is important to recognise that some form of universalism is politically and ethically necessary.” ImportantFormPerspectiveUniversalRecogniseUniversalism Author:Alison Assiter
“However, within the limits of the human, it is important to recognise our common humanity. I think that a perspective based on common human needs has the most chance of being accepted and this does not depend on any particular metaphysical outlook.” ThinkingNeedsHumansDoeImportantHumanityChanceCommonParticularPerspectiveDependsLimitsAcceptedMetaphysicalOutlookRecogniseHuman NeedsCommon HumanityBeing Accepted Author:Alison Assiter
“Ethically and politically it is important to face up to the need for a universal perspective in our divided, multi-cultural, unequal and unjust world.” WorldNeedsImportantFacesPerspectiveUniversalDividedUnjust Author:Alison Assiter
