Handbook of Human Dignity in Europe

This handbook provides a systematic overview of the legal concept and the meaning of human dignity for each European state and the European Union. For each of these 43 countries and the EU, it scrutinizes three main aspects: the constitution, legislation, and application of law (court rulings). The book addresses and presents answers to important questions relating to the concept of human dignity. These questions include the following: What is the meaning of human dignity? What is the legal status of the respective human dignity norms? Are human dignity norms of a programmatic nature, or do they establish an individual right which can be invoked before court? Is human dignity inviolable? The volume answers these questions from the perspectives of all European countries.

As a reaction to the barbaric events during World War II, human dignity (dignitas) found its way into international law. Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that “[a]llhuman beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” The starting point for developing the concept on a national level was the codification of human dignity in article 1, paragraph 1 of the German Grundgesetz. Consequently, the concept of human dignity spread throughout Europe and, in the context of human rights, became a fundamental legal concept.

• Inalienable Right
• Legal theory
• Human Dignity in Europe
• European state and the European Union
• Meaning of human dignity
• Human Rights
• Is human dignity inviolable
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Human dignity
• Legal Doctrines of the Rule of Law
• Legal State
• Rechtsstaat
• Human Dignity
• Norms of human dignity
• Individual Rights
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
• European Legal Culture
• Codification of Human Dignity
• Human rights
• Fundamental legal concept

• Faculty of Law, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

  Paolo Becchi

• Faculty of Law, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland

  Klaus Mathis

Paolo Becchi is full professor of Philosophy of Law at the University of Genoa (Italy), where he teaches Practical Philosophy and Biolaw. For several years he taught Philosophy of Law and Political Philosophy at the University of Lucerne (Switzerland). He was awarded an honorary degree (Doctor honoris causa in Law) by the Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest. His particular fields of expertise are Philosophy of Law, History of Law, Political Philosophy, and Bioethics.

Klaus Mathis is full professor of Public Law, Law of the Sustainable Economy, and Philosophy of Law at the University of Lucerne. He is the co-founder of the Center for Law and Sustainability (CLS) and Director of the Institute for Research in the Fundaments of Law – lucernaiuris. His particular fields of expertise are Constitutional Law, Law and Economics, Law of Sustainable Development, and Philosophy of Law.

Policies and ethics