Researcher Abdulmajeed Ma’touq Mohammed Al-Hayyi was awarded a Master’s Degree in Political Science with a grade of excellent and an average of (95%) for his thesis titled: The Western Epistemological Foundations of Human Rights and the Standards for Their Application: A Critical Study, which was submitted to the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Sharia and Law – Sana’a University. The MA defense was held on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The MA Viva-voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:
Prof. Adnan Yasin Al-Maqtari – Sana’a University – Internal Examiner and Chair
Prof. Hani Abadi Al-Mughallis – Sana’a University – Thesis Supervisor and Committee Member
Prof. Sadiq Mohammed Wajih Al-Deen – Ibb University – External Examiner and Committee Member.
The study aimed to analyze manifestations of double standards in contemporary Western human rights practices and examine the discrepancy between the proclaimed universality of human values and principles and their selective application. It also explored differences in responses to humanitarian issues and violations depending on political contexts, alliances, and interests.
The study adopted historical, analytical, critical, and comparative approaches to trace the development of Western ethical and political thought from ancient Greek philosophy through Christianity and the Renaissance to modern philosophy, the Enlightenment, and subsequent periods. Particular attention was given to shifts in epistemological and value-based foundations and changing conceptions of human beings and their rights.
The findings showed that the contemporary concept of human rights emerged through a long historical accumulation of humanitarian and ethical concepts and their subsequent transformations. The shift from religious to rational foundations raised questions concerning the basis of human value, the binding force of moral obligations, and the definition of the human person and rights.
The study also examined how philosophical transformations have influenced conceptions of human beings, moral responsibility, social and family relationships, legal and institutional structures, and the standards governing the application of rights. These effects included broader scope for interpretation, disparities in enforcement mechanisms, and inequalities within the international system.
The study explored these issues by comparing Western responses to the situations in Gaza and Ukraine to assess the consistency of human rights standards across differing political contexts, alliances, and interests. According to the researcher’s analysis, double standards arise from the interaction of epistemological, ethical, legal, institutional, and political factors.
Based on the findings, the study recommended encouraging critical research into Western thought and raising awareness of the intellectual and social contexts in which contemporary human rights concepts developed. It also called for avoiding the treatment of human rights standards as unquestionable assumptions and for exploring ways to develop human rights approaches that take into account the circumstances and needs of different societies.
The thesis defense was attended by faculty members, researchers, students, and interested participants as well as the researcher's colleagues and family members.