Protecting Human Dignity through Criminal Law

This collected volume explores the role of human dignity in the emergence and interpretation of international obligations of criminalisation, as well as in their implementation at the domestic level. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the work brings together legal philosophers, international lawyers, and criminal law experts to shed light on the multifaceted concept of human dignity. It juxtaposes the broad conceptions often utilised at the international level – where dignity is viewed as the foundation of all human rights – with the narrower understanding that emerges from domestic criminal law, which is moulded by the principles of subsidiarity and extrema ratio. Furthermore, the book examines the challenges Italy faces in ensuring the effective protection of human dignity when implementing international criminalisation obligations. This involves both the fight against impunity and the necessity of ensuring such measures remain consistent with the general principles of domestic criminal law and policy. This dimension of the research aims primarily to raise awareness, offering guidance and an opportunity for reflection to all those – scholars, practitioners, and policymakers – interested in promoting respect for human dignity within the Italian context. Finally, the volume contributes to the broader scholarly debate regarding human dignity as a foundational principle of both international and domestic legal systems, its synergy with criminal law, and the complex dynamics of the interaction between international and domestic legal orders.