Research Viewpoint: The Right to Starlight as a Third-Generation Human Right

The right to starlight (RtS) is finding a place in the discourse on human rights. As an emanating right against inaccessibility to starlight due to anthropogenic causes, such as light and atmospheric pollution, the global demand for institutional recognition of this right is on the rise. Given this, the article seeks to locate RtS in Vašák’s third-generation rights. The article also conceptualizes starlight as a global commons. It further builds a theoretical defense for RtS as an astro-environmental and astro-ecological right by evaluating the existing political and legal dimensions. The idea of starlight is problematized through the potential prism of starlight justice and equity to demonstrate the astropolitical patterns and directions in the growth of this right. The article also navigates through the astropolitical challenges, with a special focus on the” astrosubalterns”, defined as groups in need of starlight, in accommodating RtS in the discourse on human rights.