DBS recently held a psychology conference, entitled ‘Why We Respond and Why We Turn Away: Human Rights Abuses in a Changing World’. The intention was to explore factors underlying human responses to the plight of others.
The suffering and abuse of others has always confronted people in one way or another, but as the world becomes smaller through globalisation, we are called on in different ways to start making a difference.
In an Irish context we have seen great change in the makeup of our own society and have experienced much greater access to the events, politics and cultures of other nations. So, in a changing international landscape, this conference looked to explore human rights in a shifting society.
Event speakers came from varying backgrounds and areas of expertise including Psychoanalysis, English Literature, Law, and Psychiatry. We also heard from speakers with a personal experience of denial of human rights.
The event marked a starting point of greater exploration into this broad and challenging topic.
