Hypocrisy and Human Rights: Resisting Accountability for Mass Atrocities

Hypocrisy and Human Rights explores how repressive states respond to international pressure for human rights, creating toothless commissions, obstructing observer visits, and passing showpiece legislation while bolstering their repressive capacity. Kate Cronin-Furman argues that international pressure can produce valuable results through indirect paths, as there are multiple audiences for both human rights behavior and advocacy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 180 pages
Publication date: 24 October 2022
Publisher: Cornell University Press

Hypocrisy and Human Rights delves into the compelling dynamics that unfold when human rights pressure fails to yield desired outcomes. In the face of repressive states that display a blatant disregard for their human rights obligations, a remarkable transformation can take place. These states often adopt a sudden and drastic course of action in response to international pressure. They establish toothless commissions, allowing for international observers' visits but subsequently impeding their access. At the same time, they introduce showpiece legislation, which serves as a mere façade to bolster their repressive capabilities.

Kate Cronin-Furman's insightful book explores the diverse responses of repressive states to the demands for justice made by human rights advocates, United Nations officials, and Western governments who join the voices of the victims of mass atrocities in their quest for accountability. Through her comprehensive examination, she argues that while international pressure alone may not be sufficient to induce compliance in the absence of domestic motivations to comply, the intricate nature of the international system presents multiple audiences for both human rights behavior and advocacy. Moreover, she contends that pressure can yield valuable results through indirect paths.

The book delves into a range of debates, including those surrounding transitional justice in countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Cronin-Furman examines the intricate ways in which repressive states respond to the calls for justice, employing a variety of strategies to evade accountability and maintain their grip on power. She highlights the complexities and challenges faced by human rights advocates and international actors in navigating the complex web of interests and power dynamics at play.

Hypocrisy and Human Rights serves as a valuable contribution to the field of international relations and human rights studies. It sheds light on the complex interplay between international pressure, domestic politics, and the pursuit of justice. By examining the diverse responses of repressive states, the book provides valuable insights into the strategies and tactics employed by these states to evade accountability and maintain their grip on power. It also highlights the importance of sustained advocacy, international cooperation, and domestic initiatives in the fight for human rights and the promotion of a more just and equitable world.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501765094