Do we have the human right to work?

15 January 2015

A new book edited by Dr Virginia Mantouvalou, The Right to Work, addresses the uncertainty and controversy surrounding the right to work both in theoretical scholarship and in policy making

Including contributions from leading scholars working internationally and in the UK, the book explores the philosophies underpinning the right to work, questioning its content and the demands it places on our societies.

The Right to Work originated from a workshop on the Right to Work held at UCL Laws in 2012organised by the UCL Institute for Human Rights and the UCL Labour Rights Institute, and supported by the Modern Law Review and the Human Rights Consortium of the School of Advanced Study. Bringing together scholars from around the world, the event explored the value of work in today’s world, both in terms of the accumulation of income and goods, but also in the generation of well-being and maintaining a sense of membership in society.

Acknowledging that work is a crucial good, The Right to Work considers whether we have a human right to this good, and who holds it.

Find out more about The Right to Work on the Hart Publishing website