Human Rights and Democracy: The Precarious Triumph of IdealsThis book is open access and available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. It is funded by Knowledge Unlatched. The 20th century has been described as the bloodiest in human history, but it was also the century in which people around the world embraced ideas of democracy and human rights as never before, constructing social, political and legal institutions seeking to contain human behaviour. Todd Landman offers an optimistic, yet cautionary tale of these developments, drawing on the literature, from politics, international relations and international law. He celebrates the global turn from tyranny and violence towards democracy and rights but also warns of the precariousness of these achievements in the face of democratic setbacks and the undermining of rights commitments by many countries during the so-called 'War on Terror'. |
Contents
Hopes and challenges | |
Abundance and freedom | |
Democracy and human rights | |
Waves and setbacks | |
Evidence and explanations | |
Agents and advocates | |
Truth and justice | |
Benefits and outcomes | |
References | |
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analysis Arab Spring argued associated Augusto Pinochet authoritarian authoritarian rule benefits Brazil Cambridge University Press challenges chapter Chile civil and political civil society committed conflict countries coup critique definitions of democracy democracy and human democratic institutions democratic transformation democratic transition development and democracy diffusion dimensions domestic economic abundance economic development economic modernization elections electoral elites established European Union example factors Figure Foweraker and Landman global groups growth human rights idea individuals inequality international law justice kind large number Latin America levels of economic Libya military non-democracies non-governmental organizations outcomes overall participation party political rights Polity IV popular sovereignty possible President procedural democracy protection of human regime change region relationship repression rights protection significant Sikkink social mobilization softliners South Africa struggle terrorism terrorist transition to democracy transnational treaties trials truth commissions truth process Tunisia undermine United Kingdom Venezuela violence