This paper seeks to provide a human rights-based analysis of three inter-related concepts: identity, dignity and culture. It advocates that applying international human rights values, principles, norms and standards to and involving international human rights mechanisms in all aspects of relationships between identity, dignity and culture is essential both for conflict prevention and for post-conflict peace-building. It advocates that applying such international human rights values, principles, norms and standards to and involving international human rights mechanisms in all aspects of relationships between identity, dignity and culture is essential to protect and promote cultural diversity and pluralism in multi-ethnic societies.
d by the acknowledgment of the ultimate circularity of our justifications, thus eschewing the pitfalls of both foundationalism and relativism.
 
My main contention is that only by ensuring inclusive and self-reflexive practices of collective decision-making we will be able to address the tensions between universalism and cultural relativism, and produce more flexible models of democratic governance, citizenship and cultural membership suitable to face the challenges of the global processes of integration and differentiation.