Human Rights and Societies in Transition
Human rights violations are often particularly severe in transition societies that are undergoing significant political, social and economic transformations. Improving human rights practices in transition societies should therefore be a central goal for domestic reformers and the international community alike. This makes sense not only because of the intrinsic value of improved human rights protections, but also because of the indirect effects that such improvements have on democratization, economic development, and conflict resolution. The project Human Rights and Societies in Transition explores the contemporary international human rights regime, the factors predominantly responsible for human rights violations in transition societies, and the long-term consequences of such violations. The project also examines how nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations and states can most constructively pre-empt or correct transition-related human rights violations, and prevent the related relapse of these societies into government failure, economic devastation, communal violence, and war.
The resulting book is a joint effort by 17 scholars from various parts of the world, specializing in political science, sociology, law, and regional studies. It is directed at citizens interested in human rights issues, at national, regional and intergovernmental decision makers and their staffs, at educators, NGO activists, and journalists, and at the academic human rights community. The volume relates its discussions to academic literature and debates, and offers policy recommendations for non-state, state and interstate actors.
expected output/publications
At different stages of the project, results have been presented to a wider academic and policymaking audience: At the 2001 Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association, the 2003 Annual Meeting of the Academic Council on the United Nations System, and at the 2003 Geneva Research and Policy Dialogue at the United Nations in Geneva. In addition, the project directors have published some findings in "NGO's Critical Role in Advancing Human Rights in Transition Societies," Podium, No. 2, December 2002. The complete project results have been published as a book, edited by the project directors: Shale Horowitz and Albrecht Schnabel, eds., Human Rights and Societies in Transition: Causes, Consequences, Responses, Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 2004.
project directors
Shale Horowitz (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee)Albrecht Schnabel (swisspeace)
project contributors
David Forsythe (University of Nebraska-Lincoln); Paul Magnarrella (University of Florida, Gainesville); Leung Man To (National Cheng Kung University, Tainan); Johannes Morsink (Drew University, Madison); W. Ofuatey-Kodjoe (City University of New York); Eghosa E. Osaghae (University of Ibadan, Ibadan); Aleksandar Resanovic (Council of Human Rights, Belgrade); Richard Siegel (University of Nevada, Reno); Genevieve de Souillac (University of Sydney); D. R. Kaarthikeyan (ret. Director-General, National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi); Mahmood Monshipouri (Quinnipiac University, Hamden); Wafula Okumu (African Union, Addis Abeba); Barbara Ann J. Rieffer (Bethany College, Bethany); Terence Roehrig (Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee); Jenab Tutunji (George Washington University, Washington, DC)
partner organizations and funders
United Nations University, Tokyo
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (Center for International Education, College of Letters and Science, School of Business Administration)
Government of Japan