Journal of Law and Criminal Justice

Global Society and the Quest for Human Rights
Laura Zavatta, Rocco Cantelmo

Abstract
This article critically examines the evolution and contradictions of Western modernity through the lenses of capitalism, science, political power, and social disintegration, incorporating recent developments from 2019– 2025, including global migration crises, climate change litigation, and new rulings from the European Court of Human Rights. It highlights how the relentless pursuit of profit and technological progress – often divorced from ethical considerations – has generated existential insecurity, environmental crises, and the erosion of community bonds. Drawing on classical and contemporary thinkers such as Dewey, Bauman, Harvey, and Spirito, and incorporating recent analyses by Fraser (2020), Nussbaum (2021), and Koskenniemi (2023), the article explores the dualism between communitas and societas, the threat of nuclear catastrophe, and the disconnection between means and ends in modern civilization. It argues for the urgent need to redefine community as a responsible social fabric committed to equality, solidarity, and human dignity, envisioning a post-modern sociality that addresses the profound challenges of globalization, migration, and digital transformation. Recent UNHCR (2024) data on forced displacement and IPCC (2023) reports on climate- induced migration illustrate the urgency of this redefinition. Ultimately, it advocates for a renewed ethical framework that reconciles technological innovation with a humanistic vision of social and ecological well- being, warning that otherwise a “culture of the enemy” will take root.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jlcj.vol13p2