Human Rights for Pragmatists: Social Power in Modern Times

Human rights are an important issue, but activists have reached an impasse in their efforts to achieve rights for all. Jack Snyder's book "Human Rights for Pragmatists" explains that rights prevail only when they serve the interests of powerful local constituencies. He presents an innovative roadmap for addressing human rights concerns, such as impunity for atrocities, free speech in the age of social media, and entrenched abuses of womens rights. Snyder argues that liberal rights-based states have experienced a competitive edge over authoritarian regimes in the modern era, and that the path to human rights entails transitioning from a social order grounded in patronage and favoritism to one dedicated to equal treatment under impersonal rules. Activists, policymakers, and others attempting to advance rights should embrace a tailored strategy that acknowledges local power structures and cultural practices.

Format: Hardback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 26 July 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Human rights are among the most pressing issues of our time, yet rights promoters have reached an impasse in their efforts to achieve rights for all. Human Rights for Pragmatists explains why: activists prioritize universal legal and moral norms, backed by public shaming of violators, but rights prevail only when they serve the interests of powerful local constituencies. Jack Snyder demonstrates that where local power and politics lead, rights follow. He presents an innovative roadmap for addressing a broad agenda of human rights concerns: impunity for atrocities, dilemmas of free speech in the age of social media, entrenched abuses of women's rights, and more.

Exploring the historical development of human rights around the globe, Snyder shows that liberal rights-based states have experienced a competitive edge over authoritarian regimes in the modern era. He focuses on the role of power, the interests of individuals and the groups they form, and the dynamics of bargaining and coalitions among those groups. The path to human rights entails transitioning from a social order grounded in patronage and favoritism to one dedicated to equal treatment under impersonal rules. Rights flourish when they benefit dominant local actors with the clout to persuade ambivalent peers. Activists, policymakers, and others attempting to advance rights should embrace a tailored strategy, one that acknowledges local power structures and cultural practices.

Constructively turning the mainstream framework of human rights advocacy on its head, Human Rights for Pragmatists offers tangible steps that all advocates can take to move the rights project forward.

Weight: 682g
Dimension: 165 x 246 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691231549