UDTR — Radar mondial des droits de la Nature

Legal personhood and the rights of nature: Bridging relational Buddhist worldviews and Sri Lankan law

Identification

Clé publique

doi:10.1007/s41020-025-00268-0

Auteurs

Asanka Edirisinghe

Année déclarée

2025

Langue déclarée

en

Type source

article

Première détection

2026-11-09T19:04:47.846663+00:00

Dernière observation des métadonnées

2026-11-10T16:58:51.437761+00:00

Dernière vérification HTTP

Non effectuée

Institutions déclarées par la source

General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University · Macquarie University

Pays d’affiliation déclarés

AU · LK

Résumé documentaire — langue originale

Abstract The concept of relationality embraces the interconnectedness between what are seen as separate categories (e.g. human and non-human), and emplaces the human being within a wider network of related beings. Consequently, it encourages the protection of nature for the more-than-instrumental values that they hold. The relationship between the Sinhalese Buddhists in Sri Lanka and the natural environment serves as a compelling illustration of how relationality is embraced and practiced in interactions with nature. However, the current environmental legal framework in Sri Lanka, shaped by Western colonial influence, ignores these relational values and regards nature merely as an object, property, or instrument for human exploitation. The emerging notion of recognising legal personhood and the rights of nature offers an alternative to anthropocentric environmental protection laws. Examples of acknowledging legal personhood and the rights of nature globally often reflect the influence of pluralistic relational worldviews, such as Indigenous perspectives and religious understandings. Within this context, this research addresses the overarching question: How can recognising legal personhood and the rights of nature bridge the gap between the relational realities observed by Sinhalese Buddhists and the prevailing anthropocentric environmental legal regime in Sri Lanka? The research was carried out using three methodologies: black letter approach, international and comparative research, and socio-legal research. By delving into a topic that has received scant attention within Sri Lanka, it aims to make a novel contribution to the existing body of literature while furnishing guidance to law and policy makers to revise environmental protection legislation to better reflect the country’s relational realities.

Identifiants

DOI

10.1007/s41020-025-00268-0

OPENALEX

W4411984992

OPENAIRE

doi_________::27d7b438230f0b263b7eb5e03901987f

Repères documentaires

Famille documentaire

Doctrine

Types déclarés par les sources

Article · article

Juridictions étudiées — sources explicites

LK

Les mentions d’entités ne constituent pas une preuve de reconnaissance juridique. La juridiction étudiée est distincte du pays d’affiliation des auteurs.

Sources

OpenAIRE · Document 1

OpenAlex · Document 1 · Document 2

• DOI · https://doi.org/10.1007/s41020-025-00268-0
• OpenAlex · https://openalex.org/W4411984992

Statut documentaire

Pertinence à examiner

Bibliothèque

Cette identité n’est pas encore intégrée à la Bibliothèque juridique.