"This book would assemble a number of essays from the past several years that address the question of whether human rights remain valid as universal standards for action in a multicultural, religiously pluralistic and economically unequal world. It draws on the Roman Catholic tradition to help answer this question in a positive way, and also suggests ways that today's global realities call for important developments in the Catholic tradition. It applies the proposed understanding of human rights to several issues that are much debated today, including religious freedom, the rights of refugees and other forced migrants, economic rights in the face of significant inequality, and the rights of women. It will be of use to those in the Catholic community who are working to advance human rights, to those interested in why the Catholic church is engaged in human rights issues, and to all who seek to advance human dignity on humanistic grounds. It addresses both those considering human rights in academic settings and practitioners working to advance human rights in the field"--