Human Rights in International Relations

This third edition of David P. Forsythe's successful textbook provides an authoritative overview of the place of human rights in an age of upheaval in international politics. Human rights standards are examined at the global, regional and national levels, with separate chapters on transnational corporations and advocacy groups. The third edition has been completely updated to include the latest developments on terrorism and counter-terrorism, pro-democracy protests in the Middle East, disputed elections in developing countries, criminal courts and truth commissions, and applications of the laws of war. New sections have been added on subjects such as women's rights and new case studies have been added in each chapter which show how specific rights fare in contemporary political contexts. Containing chapter-by-chapter guides to further reading and discussion questions, this book will be of interest to all students of human rights and their teachers. 'The idea of human rights is so powerful that those who would violate it in the privacy of their torture chambers are compelled to swear fealty to it in global public discourse. David Forsythe draws our attention to the tension between personal rights and the workings of the interstate system in a world in which the human rights norm, including international humanitarian law, is ever more firmly established yet actual protections have come under growing stress in practice. The resilience of the norm has contributed to changes in the nature of state sovereignty. In this third edition of a well-regarded and well-established textbook, Forsythe continues his mission to clarify and update via an impressive, illuminating and engaging analysis of one of the most powerful political impulses of the contemporary era.' Ramesh Thakur, Australian National University 'The third edition of David Forsythe's Human Rights in International Relations maintains his reputation for excellence. I have found the first two editions to be essential teaching texts, very popular with my students, without which I could not cover the entire range of topics necessary in a comprehensive political science course on human rights. This edition brings students right up to date, with analysis of such events as the Arab spring and the Obama administration's actions with regard to Guantanamo Bay.' Rhoda E. Howard-Hassmann, Wilfrid Laurier UniversityPreface; Part I. The Foundations: 1. Introduction: human rights in international relations; 2. Establishing human rights standards; Part II. Implementing Human Rights Standards: 3. Global application of human rights norms; 4. Transitional justice: criminal courts and alternatives; 5. Regional application of human rights norms; 6. Human rights and foreign policy in comparative perspective; 7. Non-governmental organizations and human rights; 8. Transnational corporations and human rights; Part III. Conclusion: 9. The politics of liberalism in a realist world.