Localization of human rights of people with disabilities: The case of jewish ultra-orthodox people in israel

Abstract

This article examines how the concept of human rights of people with disabilities is introduced, localized, reinterpreted, and contextualized in religious conservative communities. By analyzing the case of Jewish ultra-orthodox (Haredi) communities in Israel, the article illuminates the stakehold-ers’ translation tactics that result in hybridization of transnational and local ideas. Professionals in social and therapeutic fields play a decisive role in this process. While prior research has depicted localization as a pragmatic compromise on the part of the localizers, this case demonstrates that in religious contexts localization is not a constraint but reflects an essential connection between distinct moral worlds.