Conflicts Between Fundamental Rights

Every human rights lawyer, at some point or other, comes across an issue of conflicting human rights. Yet there is surprisingly little literature on this issue; especially if one wants to examine the matter at a general level, above specific conflicts such as those between freedom of expression and the right to non-discrimination, or between religious freedom and women's rights. The international conference on conflicts between fundamental rights, which took place in Ghent (Belgium) in December 2006, brought together a diverse group of human rights scholars who reflected on this issue from different angles. The papers in this volume are selected from among those that were presented at the conference. The issue of conflicting rights is examined in both domestic and international human rights law, and deals with many different types of human rights, including economic and social rights. Some are empirical, describing and analyzing how courts and legislators deal with these issues. Others adopt a normative approach, establishing criteria that may guide future judges and lawmakers confronted with conflicts between fundamental rights.