It is argued that universalists ought to recognise the relativist element in their claim and, conversely, that cultural relativists should recognise the universal element in theirs. Rather than dismissing one view and endorsing the other, we should investigate the relations between different pratices and their ideals. On Universal Morality and Moral Universalism by Zygmunt Bauman Plurality is the condition sine qua non of freedom. And there is no morality without freedom. Further, it is wrong to assume that what is chosen does not matter providing it has been chosen freely.
Freedom is there to prod responsibility and assist in making good choices.
Universal Rights and Historical Context by Per Bauhn A common assumption of communitarians and other moral relativists is that the idea of universal human rights cannot apply to societies outside the modern Western world. Moreover, it is argued that a normative understanding of the morality of universal human rights need not involve us in any anachronistic reasoning about the moral character of people in ancient or culturally distant societies. Nor does it imply a rejection of what is sound in a communitarian argument about the importance of historical contexts. This contribution shows how such programmes can be frustrated by the strategies of individuals. It shows that actions on the small scale can cumulatively demolish state policy without the individuals involved ever being collectively mobilised in movements of resistance.