tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38587925309531801522011-11-07T02:53:16.751-07:00Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.comBlogger2271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-87335532623282975302011-05-18T19:55:00.002-06:002011-05-18T19:59:47.874-06:00

Editor's Introduction“The Case for Intervention in the Ivory Coast” by Corinne Dufka. Foreign Policy. March 25 2011.On 30 March 2011, the UN Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of its Charter, adopted Resolution 1975, which urged the defeated President Gbagbo to immediately step aside and declared the situation in the Ivory Coast to be a threat to international security. The resolution

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-46392329352004434962011-05-18T19:49:00.003-06:002011-05-18T19:55:12.865-06:00

by Brooke Ackerly, Vanderbilt University“There has already been a military response to the Ivory Coast. Should we wait to reflect on global injustice until we see the graphic images of genocide and tragedy elsewhere, or can we use a rights-based lens to care about global injustice as part of our everyday lives?”Is reflection on global injustice part of the everyday lives of those who live in

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by Edzia Carvalho, University of Mannheim“It seems that while states are often slow to react to egregious violations of human rights, they can be moved to action when the domestic and international costs and foreseeable risks of such interventions are low and the benefits are high. Domestic and international non-state actors, particularly NGOs and human rights lobbies, could help alter these

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by Jonas Claes, U.S. Institute of Peace“In an ideal world, these considerations would be subordinate to the urgency and gravity of a humanitarian crisis. But a world in which the risk of atrocities automatically triggers a strong response seems far off. Double standards are an unpleasant reality that sprout from the nature of international politics, and will remain part and parcel of the

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by Devin Joshi, University of Denver“Of course, any international response to this crisis should aim to restore and keep peace and to bring Laurent Gbagbo and other perpetrators of these atrocities to the International Criminal Court. Yet, it would also be wise to deal with some of the structural factors that have led to violent conflict in Cote d’Ivoire’s past and which continually plague the

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Editor's Introduction“It’s Time to Intervene” by Shadi Hamid. Slate. February 23 2011.The UN Security Council Resolution 1973 on March 17 marks a historical event: the first military implementation of the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) since world leaders adopted at the United Nations World Summit in 2005 the collective responsibility to respond in a timely and decisive manner

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by Christina Cerna, Organization of American States“As heartbreaking as watching the crushing of the civilian uprising in Libya on nightly television broadcasts may be, it is not genocide. Intervention was authorized to protect civilians but the West’s expressed goal of Gaddafi’s ouster goes beyond the language of the Security Council Resolution.”Shadi Hamid, in “It’s Time to Intervene,” suggests

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by Louis Edgar Esparza, University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of International Studies“Broad coalition movements create the space for other issue groups to bring up their grievances, allowing them to frame them as issues of inequality within the movement. In Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, women are asserting their political rights as citizens in a polity as well as their rights in their positions

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by Robert Funk, Institute for Public Affairs of the University of Chile“But if there is one thing that has been striking about the events in Libya in recent weeks—and indeed looking back over decades—it is the sheer ability of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to survive. He is, perhaps with Fidel Castro, the world’s greatest survivor.”“But I spent so many nightsthinking how you did me wrongI grew strongI

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by Walter Lotze, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs“The international community is responsible for entrenching the Gaddafi regime both internationally and domestically, allowing it to exercise disproportionate levels of power, and providing it with the weaponry to back this power up within its own borders.”When violence first broke out in Tunisia in January 2011, few observers would

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Editor's Introduction“The Failure of Governance in the Arab World” by Simon Tisdall. The Guardian. January 11 2011.The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, the people’s rebellion in Egypt, and the subsequent popular uprisings that are taking place across the Arab world from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf, remind us, scholars and policy makers alike, that order and stability must be based

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by Christina Cerna, Organization of American States“It was not just the humiliation of that one slap that made her son commit suicide. The slap was the culmination, symbolic of all the humiliations and indignities Mohamed and so many others have experienced daily. The humiliation of not being able to provide for themselves and their families and of not having basic human rights gave way to anger

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by Louis Edgar Esparza, University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of International Studies“Although the precipitating event is rarely predictable, these kinds of events are almost never random…Tunisia and Egypt are not the exceptions, but rather, illustrate the rule: step on your people and one day they will step on you.”On August 16, 1819, tens of thousands of workers gathered in what is now St.

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by Robert Funk, Institute for Public Affairs of the University of Chile“It is said that Franklin Delano Roosevelt defended the US tendency to support dictators by remarking, ‘He may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch’. The recent events in Tunisia and Egypt indicate that almost seventy years later, this unfortunate phrase seems to continue to guide US foreign policy.”It is said that

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by Walter Lotze, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs“Yet while analysts decry the failure of governance in the Arab world, and while countries such as the United States of America, France, and Great Britain self-confidently reinterpret their foreign policies to reassure observers that in fact they were never acting in support of despotic regimes, in Africa many diplomats and analysts are

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-66708530880333066472011-01-15T13:23:00.004-07:002011-01-15T13:28:43.024-07:00

Editor's Introduction“Haiti's Blame Game” by Poooja Bhatia. Foreign Policy. November 23 2010.An AnnotationThis week marks the one year anniversary of the earthquake that shook the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. This natural disaster threw an already impoverished nation into deeper social, economic, and even political distress. More than 230,000 people were killed, estimates are that a million

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by Christina Cerna, Organization of American States"Notably, MINUSTAH’s mandate does not contemplate substituting itself for the government of Haiti , so it should not be perceived as an occupying power as perhaps UNTAC or other UN missions might have been. MINUSTAH has no mandate to draft a constitution , adopt laws, conduct trials or perform any other governmental functions. So while elections

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by Louis Edgar Esparza, University of Denver, Josef Korbel School of International Studies"It is that now, just as then, when others struggle to improve their own lives, foreign powers often intervene to stymie development, to exploit labor, or to extract resources. Recent events in Haiti illustrate this sad ontological reality of global relations that people around the world are working every

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by Robert Funk, Institute for Public Affairs of the University of Chile"Chile’s vast experience with earthquakes can teach Haitians that these events have long-lasting and often unintended consequences. They engrave images into the public consciousness and contribute to the creation of institutions that can survive for generations. Haitian officials and the international agencies charged with the

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by Walter Lotze, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs"For the next Haitian president, life will not be easy. He will need to be seen by the Haitian people to be far more assertive with the international community so present in the country without alienating the internationals that provide such critical support to Haitians who still remain in desperate need. If the balance is not struck

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Editor's Introduction“Germany's Integration Blinkers. What's So Bad About Parallel Societies?” by Henryk M. Broder, Spiegel Online, November 20, 2010“Angela Merkel: German Multiculturalism has Utterly Failed,” by Matthew Weaver, The Guardian, October 17, 2010 German Chancellor Angela Merkel made international headlines with her recent remarks that “multiculturalism has utterly failed.” Speaking

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-33415771382885492642010-11-30T13:20:00.003-07:002010-11-30T13:23:21.264-07:00

by Alison Brysk, University of California, Santa Barbara"(…) Beyond this, those of us who are American citizens have a special obligation to hold our own society to its rights-based citizenship ideals. Racial profiling in Arizona’s immigration law, proposals to change the 14th Amendment granting citizenship to all born in the US, and mosque-bashing at Ground Zero and beyond are all betrayals of

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-39143878080310874452010-11-30T13:17:00.002-07:002010-11-30T13:20:16.161-07:00

by Par Engstrom, University of London"Right-wing political parties have managed to capitalize on the failure of integration of recent immigrants in many European countries and the increasing visibility of “parallel societies.” However, it is certainly paradoxical in a time of economic crisis and austerity that the most controversial political debates in Europe today seem to revolve around

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-87378671393755069592010-11-30T13:14:00.002-07:002010-11-30T13:28:58.179-07:00

by Marc Alexander C. Gionet, St. Thomas University"It may appear to be disordered and tensioned, but the existence of a multicultural society that is able to reasonably accommodate a vast spectrum of beliefs and practices without compromising normative values is possible. The functionality of such a society requires a high threshold of respect, education, and accessible mechanisms for conflict

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-45980126936273340132010-11-30T12:57:00.011-07:002010-11-30T13:17:31.521-07:00

by Erin Mooney, Brookings Institution"Of course, it is one thing if immigrants choose, as is their right, to maintain strong links with their cultural heritage and community of origin, thereby co-existing in so-called “ parallel societies,” all the while participating in Germany’s economic and cultural development. However, it is another matter entirely when state policy and practice put legal,

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-19563005302209748322010-10-16T16:21:00.006-06:002010-10-16T16:34:33.234-06:00

Editor's introduction: MDGs & Human RightsArticle under review:“The UN millennium development goals can be put back on track” by Philippe Douste-Blazy. The Guardian. September 5, 2010.In his speech at the UN Millennium Development Goals Summit, President Obama noted that "if the international community just keeps doing the same things in the same way, we will miss many development goals."

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-89680512358008171532010-10-16T16:15:00.004-06:002010-10-16T16:20:45.915-06:00

by Alison Brysk"The Millennium Goals are a wonderful way to focus world attention and political pressure on the development gap. While new mechanisms and modalities for transferring resources are a good first step, real progress requires deeper understanding of the power distortions that cause the gap. The most effective programs will be those that redistribute power, not just wealth. And the

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-30857856455520026982010-10-16T16:09:00.007-06:002010-10-16T16:15:13.540-06:00

by Par Engstrom"“(…)as the emerging economies continue to grow, they will have to manage increasing expectations that they should play a more active and forceful role in the foreign aid regime and that they should shoulder a greater burden in response to humanitarian emergencies, for example. This has significant implications for the foreign aid regime, as one cannot assume that emerging powers

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-64265066688486263912010-10-16T16:02:00.004-06:002010-10-16T16:09:44.250-06:00

by Marc Alexander C. Gionet"The international community still has a remarkable degree of separation between current achievement and MDG expectations to resolve over the coming five years. Only by shifting the narrative from that of selective championed goals to obligatory holistic achievement will the international community be able to compensate for the currently lagging effort. "The United

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-33482450664458933672010-10-16T15:52:00.005-06:002010-10-16T16:01:45.613-06:00

by Erin Mooney“More fundamentally, what is required is to recognize that the MDGs are not merely ‘goals’ to aim for, hitting or missing as the case may be. Rather, they are about realizing rights which governments, individually and collectively, have pre-existing legal obligations to uphold and ensure."That much more must be done to meet the Millennium Development Goals is evident. The proposals

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-2779737293089022062010-08-19T22:52:00.002-06:002010-08-19T22:56:17.161-06:00

Editor's introduction: Human Rights & Foreign Policy Article under review:“A humane nation is a safer nation” by Tom Porteous. The Guardian. July 7, 2010.In 1977 the United States President, Jimmy Carter, affirmed “America's commitment to human rights as a fundamental tenet of our foreign policy,” a statement that created high expectations for US international actions and fostered great

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-81954201988556461872010-08-19T22:47:00.002-06:002010-08-19T22:52:26.152-06:00

by Alison Brysk"Not all countries are poised to become global human rights promoters, but the global survey that begins my study shows that dozens more pass a minimum threshold of democracy, development, and security that permits a principled foreign policy. What makes the difference is vision and mobilization—leadership, cosmopolitan values, and an engaged civil society."As Tom Porteous contends

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-2991336407917437862010-08-19T22:44:00.002-06:002010-08-19T22:46:59.376-06:00

by Par Engstrom"Given this broader scenario then, support for human rights may indeed serve the UK’s (and the US’s) long-term interests as Porteous suggests. But, just as ignoring human rights can be “a recipe for failure and further instability,” so too can justifying coercive foreign policies by recourse to the rhetoric of human rights have dire consequences. For many in the UK at least, the

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-28957441902885043272010-08-19T22:38:00.003-06:002010-08-19T22:44:02.532-06:00

by Marc Alexander C. Gionet"The true potency of human rights as the nucleus of policy development will be dependent on the level of priority the government places on this ambitious objective and there are competing priorities, especially on the domestic front. The temptation to simply apply the rhetoric of human rights and not the substance will be overwhelming given the level of resources that

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-27933295603841041972010-08-19T22:18:00.002-06:002010-08-19T22:37:55.990-06:00

by Erin Mooney“(…)as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UK has a special role and responsibility to strengthen UN efforts to safeguard civilians during armed conflict. In recent years, the Security Council has adopted several important resolutions on the protection of civilians, including specific commitments for protecting children and combating sexual violence in armed conflict.

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-19164139936691090942010-07-12T21:24:00.003-06:002010-07-12T21:30:20.708-06:00

Editor's introduction: The United Nations and Human RightsArticles under review:“Another human-rights irony at the U.N.” by Anne Applebaum. The Washington Post. May 4, 2010.“UN elects rights violators to Human Rights Council” by Edith M. Lederer. Associated Press. May 13, 2010.The recent annual election for rotating membership on the United Nations Human Rights Council drew international

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by David Akerson, University of Denver"But perhaps the tension surrounding the membership of human rights institutions is constructive. Egregious violators like Iran are excluded through appropriate political pressure. Other violations run a gauntlet of criticism that may have long term effects, much like that directed against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The fact that violators seek

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-71940471735162375572010-07-12T21:20:00.004-06:002010-07-13T11:45:54.062-06:00

by Sonia Cardenas, Trinity College"An exclusionary Human Rights Council would almost certainly be counter-productive in the long term. It would propagate a Western-centric view of human rights governance as arrogant and politically biased, as an extension of empire. It would also perpetuate a misguidedly essentialist view of political regimes and their human rights practices."Criticism is most

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-9884868659724147512010-07-12T21:17:00.003-06:002010-07-13T11:47:42.205-06:00

by Todd Landman, University of Essex"The inherently political nature of the UN means that many of the observed outcomes of its internal procedures will be suboptimal. But to dismiss the entire institution as meaningless or irrelevant misses an important opportunity for rights-protective regimes to use their collective power to reform from within."Despite its intentions and founding principles,

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-85128043087629017952010-07-12T21:11:00.004-06:002010-07-13T11:50:29.706-06:00

by James Pattison, University of Manchester“(…) the Council was probably never likely to overcome fully the problems that beset the Commission. This is because the worries over double standards, membership by states with poor human rights records, and the influence of the major powers run much deeper. They are at the center of the whole project of the UN, which is founded on inclusiveness: the UN

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-56097516932044646452010-05-19T16:52:00.002-06:002010-05-19T16:56:46.252-06:00

Editor's introduction: The Downfall of Human Rights?Article under review: “The Downfall of Human Rights” by Joshua Kurlantzick. Newsweek. February 19, 2010.~ The Editors“The age of global human-rights advocacy has collapsed, giving way to an era of realism unseen since the time of Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon. In the West, the failure of George W. Bush's moralizing style of democracy

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-84449969589765002922010-05-19T16:48:00.002-06:002010-05-19T16:51:42.260-06:00

by David Akerson, University of Denver"Joshua Kurlantzick, in his article “The Downfall of Human Rights,” laments that Obama’s failure to address human rights in speeches in China may be emblematic of a retreat by the United States in regards to human rights advocacy. I would take the view that this phenomenon is merely tactical. The human rights movement relies on many weapons. That includes

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-67463054299800219072010-05-19T16:36:00.002-06:002010-05-19T16:46:19.069-06:00

by Sonia Cardenas, Trinity College"Engagement makes sense only if it does no harm—if it does not itself contribute to human rights abuses. Engagement that unwittingly fuels domestic incentives to repress (through trade or security relations) or that diminishes societal groups (by not condemning abuses publicly) is at best worthless and at worst dangerous. In steering clear of ideological

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-9950499779148255922010-05-19T16:14:00.003-06:002010-05-19T16:48:01.855-06:00

by Todd Landman, University of Essex"But any assessment of the state of human rights and a proclamation about the “collapse” of human rights advocacy surely needs to be more balanced, especially if it relies too heavily on Freedom House scores and a few policy utterances from a handful of democracies in the world. Human rights advocacy takes many forms. Unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-19778496481548306582010-05-19T16:03:00.003-06:002010-05-19T16:48:29.954-06:00

by James Pattison, University of Manchester“Moreover, the notion that there is currently a Western indifference towards human rights can be questioned (…) More generally, the past decade has also seen the establishment of some notable international human rights mechanisms. In particular, the Human Rights Council, with its Universal Periodic Review mechanism, and the International Criminal Court

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-49833352928617719392010-04-14T00:44:00.002-06:002010-04-14T00:49:51.415-06:00

Editor's introduction: Genocide and US National InterestsArticle under review: “How Genocide Became a National Security Threat” by Michael Abramowitz & Lawrence Woocher. Foreign Policy. February 26, 2010.~ The EditorsAt the last Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in April 2009 , President Obama spoke of his commitment as president to do “everything we can to prevent and end atrocities like those

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-17872901773183653532010-04-14T00:41:00.002-06:002010-04-14T00:43:41.494-06:00

by David Akerson, University of Denver"So, while it is a positive development that President Obama has placed mass atrocity on the US national security threat list, he remains saddled with a legislative branch that would obstruct any efforts to use military force in a pure humanitarian intervention. Drones might be the answer."Michael Abramowitz and Lawrence Woocher’s article, “How Genocide

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by Sonia Cardenas, Trinity College"Redefining genocide and mass atrocity along national security lines is understandable, but the approach must be fine-tuned to avoid blowback(…) The Obama administration, however, must push for a more fully comprehensive and multilateral approach to genocide and mass atrocity, elevating the role of development and diplomacy."The United States has long viewed

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-1365608031961988462010-04-14T00:28:00.002-06:002010-04-14T00:32:04.359-06:00

by Todd Landman, University of Essex"The new thinking is a major step in the right direction and Obama can and should show leadership on this issue (as he has done on healthcare reform). However, long-term solutions rest on developing and funding multilateral institutions, increasing aid contributions to those areas of the world most in need and most at risk of genocide, and linking humanitarian

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by James Pattison, University of Manchester“The international community has a duty to prevent, to halt, and to tackle genocide. Indeed, of all the duties that states have, this is one of the least controversial. Here then is the worry: linking this duty to the national interest may help to reinforce the Realist view that states should be concerned solely with the promotion of their national

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-86571125643921824522010-03-09T13:35:00.002-07:002010-03-09T13:42:23.628-07:00

Editor's introduction: ICC and DARFURArticle under review: “The ICC's Blunder on Sudan” by Nesrine Malik. The Guardian. February 4, 2010.~ The EditorsAn AnnotationThe establishment of the ICC as a permanent international criminal court signifies one of the most important advancements in international law. Yet the recent ICC ruling concerning the arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir for genocide

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-48587178794400717362010-03-09T13:30:00.003-07:002010-03-09T13:42:33.138-07:00

by Richard Burchill, University of Hull"The difficulty lies in expectations about justice and about the use of international law to pursue justice. If the Prosecutor publicly stated that he felt it would be counter-productive to take action regarding accusations of genocide in Sudan, his office would be criticized. Whether the Prosecutor does or does not take action, there is criticism. So, can

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-58048337404992068212010-03-09T13:25:00.002-07:002010-03-09T13:29:59.353-07:00

by Anthony Chase, Occidental College"Now is precisely the wrong time to become glib about the war crimes charges facing Bashir (…) Keeping that government and its crimes the target is essential to a political-legal strategy to contain the sort of violence Sudan has unleashed in the past, and threatens to unleash in the future. If efforts to create the ICC are to mean anything, now is its time to

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-60440966231725180982010-03-09T13:20:00.002-07:002010-03-09T13:24:26.258-07:00

by Kurt Mills, University of Glasgow"Should the ICC Prosecutor take all of these things into account? What would happen if we expected domestic prosecutors to take political issues into account when they decided whether or not to charge somebody with a particular crime? No judicial mechanism is—or can be—perfect, but asking a prosecutor to take such considerations into account would immeasurably

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by Anna Talbot, Amnesty International“To import political considerations into the application of the law would undermine the very fabric of the Rule of Law. This legal principle, which forms the basis of modern law, requires laws to be applied to all equally. The head of state is as bound by the law as any other citizen, regardless of what stage of the electoral process he or she is in. The law

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-73136610478241377282010-02-03T16:41:00.003-07:002010-02-03T16:44:04.652-07:00

Annotation of“Tragedy and Opportunity for Haiti” by Kara C. Mc Donald. Council on Foreign Relations. January 14, 2010.~ The EditorsAn AnnotationThe devastating impact of the earthquake in Haiti raises the fundamental question of whether or not the international community has the responsibility, political will, and capacity to deal effectively, and in a humane manner, with humanitarian crisis. As

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-29485548143983026822010-02-03T16:36:00.003-07:002010-02-03T16:41:09.778-07:00

by Richard Burchill, University of Hull“The idea of an international organization essentially taking over the functions of a state will be disagreeable to many. (…) But, with regard to certain cases, we must realistically ask what kinds of alternative solutions there are. Given the US history of intervention in Haiti, any talk of an external force taking control there will be disquieting. But the

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-77879630053642932502010-02-03T16:31:00.003-07:002010-02-03T16:35:38.234-07:00

by Anthony Chase, Occidental College"There are two alternatives. One is simply to provide charity and to be honest that such charity will not change much in Haiti or in other places around the globe, though it can ameliorate immediate suffering, which is, in itself, worthy. The second is to place human rights at the center of the development enterprise, such that it becomes less about saviors

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By Kurt Mills, University of Glasgow"In the end, the world is going to leave Haiti in the gutter, just as it has the DRC, Somalia, and many other places. After all, once the aid agencies leave and the earthquake disappears from the front pages, all we will be left with is the political context of rebuilding Haiti within a global system of inequalities. That does not bode well for long-term

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by Anna Talbot, Amnesty International“Certainly, Haiti is in a lot of trouble. Repeated natural disasters, combined with serious ongoing challenges to government and human rights, mean that this trouble is likely to continue for some time. The international community is rallying, however, and a significant amount of assistance is getting through and saving lives. By incorporating human rights

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-32125234687295314622010-01-12T15:20:00.009-07:002010-01-18T10:06:09.219-07:00

Annotation of“My Compatriots' Vote to Ban Minarets is Fuelled by Fear” by Tariq Ramadan. The Guardian. November 29, 2009.~ The EditorsThe recent vote in Switzerland (November 2009) to ban construction of minarets—the prayer towers for mosques—has raised many questions and concerns about its discriminatory nature, its violation of the right to freedom of religion, and its worrisome anti-Muslim

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by Richard Burchill, University of Hull“My personal view is that the referendum is regrettable, but it is also the popular choice of the Swiss people today. Like all populist movements today that are based on outright discrimination and hate, this decision will fade away once the Swiss people realize how silly it all is. But we must remember it is not the system of democracy that is to be blamed

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-39544546941671709732010-01-12T15:16:00.003-07:002010-01-18T10:07:32.557-07:00

by Anthony Chase, Occidental College"If I am right that what is really at stake here is freedom of expression, then this connects quite logically to Ramadan’s call for a response that involves greater visibility for Muslims. In human rights terms he is arguing that, rather than shrinking away from “provoking” attacks, freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is only protected if it is paired

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-29165389779888896652010-01-12T15:14:00.003-07:002010-01-18T10:09:16.043-07:00

by Kurt Mills, University of Glasgow"Ramadan puts minarets, head scarves, and Danish cartoons all into one anti-Muslim basket. I would argue that, looking beyond the apparent symbolism, we need to recognize that each situation is different and, while the sentiments behind some of the apparent anti-Muslim actions appear identical, they demand different understandings and responses."It is difficult

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-7505054064584381762010-01-12T15:01:00.005-07:002010-01-18T10:10:21.584-07:00

by Anna Talbot, Amnesty International“This referendum ultimately points to a failure of leadership. It is up to national and social leaders to help the population to understand why a referendum to ban the manifestation of one religion is dangerous. The structure of human rights law we have at the moment, while by no means perfect, provides a strong framework with which to ensure respect and

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-41141194780030873602009-12-12T10:05:00.002-07:002009-12-12T10:10:08.506-07:00

Annotation ofObama’s speech to the United Nations General Assembly (September, 2009).Does Obama believes in human rights? By Bret Stephens. The Wall Street Journal. October 19, 2009. ~ The EditorsNext month will be the first anniversary of President Barack Obama in the White House. The United States President was elected largely for his promise of change. His message inspired many people around

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by Cath Collins, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago de Chile “The option for genuine multilateralism, for leading the way in accepting the binding nature of international law and refusing to invoke the veto option whenever national interests are trimmed, is always there. But the US has consistently refused to take it. This is where Obama could make a difference(…)"Writing about US human rights

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by Katherine Hite, Vassar College"But it’s very hard not to be dismayed by some of the continuities from the Bush to the Obama administration (…). When it comes to US-Latin America relations, such decisions include: professing support for progressive immigration reform while expanding regressive anti-immigration measures; claiming a commitment to human rights and democratic engagement while

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-64867224163095788702009-12-12T09:56:00.001-07:002009-12-12T10:10:08.509-07:00

by Stephen James, La Trobe University"While President George H. Bush spoke of a new world order, and his ‘misunderestimated’ son mangled the English language at countless press conferences, with Barack Obama the USA now has a talented orator as a president. There is a new word order. But does the new and skilful rhetoric match the reality when it comes to human rights?"While President George H.

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-38965246182297531602009-12-12T09:44:00.003-07:002009-12-12T10:10:08.510-07:00

by Henry Krisch, University of Connecticut"What advice then to give President Obama regarding this difficult balance? I would suggest three modest steps: first, do what you can where you can and disregard universal consistency; second, link your criticism of human rights violations with the traditions and efforts of the people in a given country who are themselves fighting for change; finally, to

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-63270398389145569512009-11-03T14:25:00.002-07:002009-12-12T10:10:58.697-07:00

Annotation ofHealing the Past, Protecting the Future. By Alejandro Toledo. Americas Quarterly. July 13, 2009. ~ The EditorsIn this month’s centerpiece, “Healing the Past, Protecting the Future,” the former President of Peru (2001-2006), Alejandro Toledo, discusses the role of his government in addressing the human rights abuses committed by the Peruvian state and the armed opposition groups

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-68347684543387635342009-11-03T14:22:00.002-07:002009-12-12T10:10:58.698-07:00

by Cath Collins, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago de Chile“Torture, disappearance and rendition carried out in the name of a “war on terror” is now being exposed, repudiated and punished in the South. Will the North ever follow suit?”In this month’s featured article, former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006) gives a thoughtful and insightful account of how post-atrocity

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-84586254798961030582009-11-03T14:18:00.001-07:002009-12-12T10:10:58.699-07:00

by Katherine Hite, Vassar College"The trade-off between truth and justice has not born out, however, and today hundreds of Chilean military human rights cases have been legally processed, and many human rights violators are behind bars. The Guatemalan generals are certainly not out of the woods. Peru has also powerfully defied this logic, best illustrated by the conviction of former president

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-36711339182967831052009-11-03T14:15:00.003-07:002009-12-12T10:10:58.700-07:00

by Stephen James, La Trobe University"As with many cases of human rights violations, the victims in Peru were dehumanized before they were abused (…) To combat dehumanization, societies must re-humanize the vulnerable and the persecuted, including the victims of human rights violations. Truth commissions have a vital role to play in this re-humanization: they give a forum to victims, validating

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-87449186962046194582009-11-03T14:10:00.002-07:002009-12-12T10:10:58.701-07:00

by Henry Krisch, University of Connecticut“Since 2006, Toledo has found a useful perch in academic and NGO institutions in this country, such as working with the Carter Center on election monitoring. It would have been interesting to hear his views on how his outlook on these matters has been shaped by his American experiences— and how his Peruvian and Indio life may have lead him to see the

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-85880280790785206782009-10-06T08:52:00.004-06:002009-10-13T08:56:11.046-06:00

Annotation ofThe Women’s Crusade. By Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. The New York Times Magazine. August 17, 2009. ~ The EditorsAn AnnotationWomen’s Human RightsThis month’s roundtable centerpiece by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn focuses on the various challenges faced by women and girls in developing countries, with a special emphasis on how enhancing their rights could strengthen

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-49856578459184328032009-10-06T08:50:00.002-06:002009-10-13T08:56:11.048-06:00

by Cath Collins, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago de Chile“This article begs at least as many questions as it raises, but to my mind the falsest note it strikes has to do with the argument that women’s status as a legitimate development priority is not inherent. Rather, they are a convenient vehicle for targeting because they are responsible, family-centred—self-sacrificing, therefore—and,

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-72786296055963976042009-10-06T08:47:00.001-06:002009-10-13T08:56:11.058-06:00

by Katherine Hite, Vassar College"If we are to imagine that another world for women is possible, we need to globalize the atrocities, which mean a fair share of self-implication, confronting our own dirty laundry, putting our house in order as we lecture about what must be done elsewhere."There was something particularly haunting in reading this Kristof and WuDunn piece during the week’s major

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-14530808688164652732009-10-06T08:41:00.004-06:002009-10-13T08:56:11.060-06:00

by Stephen James, La Trobe University"...but a focus on the individual capacities and self-reliance of women who can by their own imagination, creativity, energy and efforts turn their families and communities around through entrepreneurship is a rather romantic account. While our hearts are warmed by such inspirational stories they are exceptional stories: most women in their shoes do not

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-24100351256061790352009-10-06T08:33:00.002-06:002009-10-13T08:56:11.062-06:00

by Henry Krisch, University of Connecticut“The resistance of political authority, economic privilege and gender-based power and customs will be difficult to overcome. Long term gains will require immediate political costs. Who will pay them? What strategies will provide economic and political tools on a large scale? What ideas will reconcile emerging women’s rights with embedded patriarchic

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-7917686714437930332009-09-08T14:30:00.002-06:002009-09-11T13:21:23.927-06:00

Annotation ofThe Rape of the Congo. By Adam Hochschild. The New York Review of Books. August 13, 2009.~ The EditorsDemocratic Republic of Congo: Humanitarian Crisis and the International CommunityAmong the largest countries in Africa and with vast economic resources, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been one of the worst humanitarian emergencies to unfold in Africa in the past decades.

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-18460873421531355802009-09-08T14:27:00.001-06:002009-09-11T13:21:23.927-06:00

by Nicola Colbran, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights“International law and human rights protection is premised on the basis of state obligations, and the responsibility of a State to protect the human rights of its citizens. If there is no functioning State, who will protect its citizens and how?”When asked to discuss the humanitarian tragedy in the DRC, the question really is where to start?

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-83039770961974515662009-09-08T14:25:00.002-06:002009-09-11T13:21:23.928-06:00

by Shareen Hertel, University of Connecticut"The first step is to recognize our own part in the suffering. For those in the Western industrialized world, it is important to remember that this territory was a prized colonial possession of European powers and a Cold War ally of the United States."Reading Adam Hochschild's extraordinary account of ordinary people caught up in the horrific ravages of

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-59487904415041025912009-09-08T14:22:00.002-06:002009-09-11T13:21:23.928-06:00

by Anja Mihr, Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (SIM), University of Utrecht, Netherlands"The deadliest war on earth—as it is called—in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will only end when the country's richness fades or is kept under surveillance. Human rights and peace might have a chance if Congo's lucrative diamond, gold or coltan mines were under shared control by non-profit

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-32274868863138366052009-09-08T14:17:00.002-06:002009-09-11T13:21:23.929-06:00

by William Paul Simmons, Arizona State University“Without a comprehensive approach to the region's tragedies they will continue to mutate into new forms that will not be capture-able by human rights law."The ongoing tragedy in Eastern Congo contains so many tragic lessons that it should shake to their very foundations all comfortable ideologies about human rights and politics. The atrocities in

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-33631377407290279932009-08-07T11:42:00.001-06:002009-09-08T14:17:38.637-06:00

Annotation ofThe Two Faces of Twitter: Revolution in a Digital Age. By Darrell West. The Huffington Post. July 30, 2009.~ The EditorsNew technologies are gaining a more significant role in aiding the understanding of human rights by making people more aware of local struggles and by benefiting social movements through the rapid dissemination of information to better respond to human rights

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-64224513885683150062009-08-07T11:38:00.000-06:002009-09-08T14:17:38.637-06:00

by Nicola Colbran, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights“Instant messaging and social network services can communicate human rights violations as they unfold in a succinct manner to a wide audience, both domestic and international. An example is the information sent via Twitter and YouTube indicating violence, arbitrary detentions and killings following the elections in Iran.”A number of statements

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-33608134580659684852009-08-07T11:37:00.001-06:002009-09-08T14:17:38.638-06:00

by Shareen Hertel, University of Connecticut"The West underplays the importance of social networking for cracking the monolith of Iran—and the implications for human rights of the unfolding dialogue in words and images."Darrell West gets it right when he argues that despite their promise, digital technologies alone “cannot produce revolutions. To generate fundamental change, it still takes strong

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-62477809987316390182009-08-07T11:34:00.000-06:002009-09-08T14:17:38.638-06:00

by Anja Mihr, Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (SIM), University of Utrecht, Netherlands"For a moment we believed that we had entered into a new era of democratic movement. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Google—chat have given proof that regardless where people live, what background they have, what system they adhere to or what religion they practice: they want to share the injustice and

Human Rights and Human Welfarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02181968740131075603noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3858792530953180152.post-84641940891999844892009-08-07T11:31:00.000-06:002009-09-08T14:17:38.639-06:00

by William Paul Simmons, Arizona State University“Real change will take leaders willing to tackle the messy job of coalition building. It will take leaders willing to see beyond self-interest and be ready to risk their lives for the good of the country and its people."We won’t soon forget the rapid fire pace of “tweets” and Facebook posts direct from the streets of Tehran. The haunting images of

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What Next for Sri Lanka's 2.5 Million Tamils? By Amantha Perera. Time. May 26, 2009.How to Defeat Insurgencies: Sri Lanka's Bad Example by Bobby Ghosh. Time, May 20, 2009.An AnnotationIn May this year and after nearly three decades of conflict, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, formally declared victory in its war over the Tamil Tigers. Even though the end of hostilities mark a crucial

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by Nicola Colbran, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights“Human rights will play an important role in this road to peace by providing a politically and ethnically neutral set of principles for negotiation and fostering trust. Human rights can also offer a framework for commitment to a lasting and just peace.”“The road to peace is never easy, and it is sometimes dangerous. The world desperately needs

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by Shareen Hertel, University of Connecticut"Over the long term, the country must forge institutional reforms that will allow for meaningful “power-sharing” arrangements aimed at diminishing inter-ethnic tensions and fostering a higher level of social inclusion for historically marginalized groups."Much of the literature on transitional justice underplays the role of economic rights in shoring up

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by Anja Mihr, Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (SIM), University of Utrecht, Netherlands"To recall the country’s international commitments could foster the process of transitional justice and implement the rule of law and thus strengthen democratic institutions."The victorious Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaska has been quite bold to pass a reconciliation note after he declared the

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by William Paul Simmons, Arizona State University“Sri Lanka’s civil war may have come to a close but the conditions that precipitated it remain. Tamils are still not fully integrated into the larger Sri Lankan society and their demands for semi-autonomy are still mostly unheard."Human rights scholars, attorneys, and activists will deservedly focus on the human rights abuses committed by the Sri

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“The Red Cross Torture Report: What It Means.” by Mark Danner. The New York Review of Books. April 30, 2009.An AnnotationTorture is one of the most controversial issues facing the US today. Amid two wars and concerns of unresolved government accountability, the release of the “Torture Memos” has forced Americans, and the international community, to re-examine the role of torture in national

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by Charli Carpenter, University of Massachusetts-Amherst“Torture probably does work occasionally. But so what? The whole point of the anti-torture regime is to stay the Inquisitor’s hand even when it’s in our interest to torture.”Danner’s NY Review of Books treatise on torture calls our attention to many significant issues, but in his key argument he is critically wrong.“The central unanswered

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by Mark Gibney, University of North Carolina-Asheville"...the Bush administration’s approach to human rights was not nearly as far out of the mainstream as it might otherwise appear. They worked under the premise that a state’s human rights obligations are territorial in nature. Unfortunately, this has come to be the dominant approach to human rights."Like most other human rights scholars, I am

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by Tyler Moselle, Harvard University"The torture policy relies on centralized power, secrecy, and fear. The 'no torture' policy relies on openness, diplomacy, and concerted intelligence."Mark Danner’s New York Review of Books piece on torture in conjunction with John Nichols’ comment on the Bush administration, outline moral, legal and political problems related to the global war on terrorism

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by Rebecca Otis, University of Denver“Where torture and interrogation policies supported by the Bush Administration has become the context for the War on Terror, it becomes necessary that we hold ourselves to task, no less in the same way that we hold our enemies."On 14 September 2001, Representative Barbara Lee (CA-D) voted against the House bill that granted President Bush the authority to use

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