"How to Do Things with Words" Three Uses of Human Dignity

This paper is aimed at providing a short comparative introduction to the law of human dignity. Intentionally, it will not delve into the details of the notion of dignity, which has captured the attention of many philosophers and legal theorists. Rather, it will isolate and contrast competing conceptions of dignity, which seem to be reflected in the solutions adopted by national and international courts. The attention will be focused on three main issues: a) the "juridification" of dignity; b) the different functions of dignity as a fundamental right; c) the conflict between dignity and liberty.