Through Thin and Thick

‘Ángel Oquendo powerfully deploys close readings of concrete conflicts – with a special focus on Latin America and the Inter-American System – to argue that human rights, in their best elaboration, are sound in neither politics nor law, but instead arise out of an unresolvable conflict between the two. A hermeneutic upheaval of a book.' Daniel Markovits, Guido Calabresi Professor of Law, Yale Law School

‘This brilliantly unconventional book demonstrates how a learned scholar combines deep political-philosophical conceptual analysis with thick descriptions of cases and facts on the ground to interrogate the promises and challenges for the Inter-American human rights system. Going from concepts of human rights derived from both inside and outside the region, Oquendo takes on the recent challenges of the Bolivian/Andes nations to the multi-national court that has been both a leader and a follower in the globalization and politicization of human rights. A must-read for any student of human rights and justice in Latin America and beyond.' Carrie Menkel-Meadow, Distinguished Professor of Law and Political Science, University of California, Irvine, and A. B. Chettle Jr. Professor of Law, Dispute Resolution, and Civil Procedure, Emerita, Georgetown University Law Center

'Through Thin and Thick advances a progressive, decolonizing and emancipatory vision of human rights. Oquendo develops a post-doctrinal, dialogic account of how courts and other legal institutions facilitate principled conversation about the politics of human rights law between and among states and civil society. The book offers a compelling defense of human rights theory and practice as an institutionalized political conversation about the reach and rule of law.' Kendall Thomas, Nash Professor of Law, Columbia University