Introduction to the United Nations Lecture 08a - The UN and Human Rights
Michael Rossi
Department of Political Science
Program in International Relations
Long Island University Brooklyn
How have "human rights" developed as a global public policy in the last thirty years? While promoting and upholding human rights has been a fundamental element of the UN since its founding, is emphasized in its Charter, and formed the cornerstone of the 1948 International Declaration of Human Rights, its remained little more than rhetorical adherence until the late 1980s.
As the Cold War ended and the bipolar balance of power gave way to an age of American-led liberal internationalism coupled with the Age of Globalization, the United Nations became more assertive in its desire to uphold the "indivisible" rights of all peoples around the world through political, civic, economic, social, and cultural angles.
Human rights violations continue throughout the world and continues to lag far behind UN ideals. But the establishment of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Human Rights Council (HCR) gives us the best indication the United Nations is transforming mere rhetoric into applied practice, and while human rights violations continue around the world, the last thirty years has shown that a far greater interest in promoting, defending, and raising awareness of its moral importance is on the rise; even if it remains a work in progress.
Readings covered in this section include:
Mingst Karen, Karns Margaret & Lyon Allyna. 2017. The United Nations in World Politics
ch. 6: “Human Rights”, pp. 235 – 290.
ch. 7: “Human Security: The Environment, Health, and Migration”, pp.
291 – 334
Therien Jean-Philippe. & Joly Philippe. 2014. “All Human Rights for All: The United Nations and Human Rights in the Post-Cold War Era”, Human Rights Quarterly, 36(2), pp. 373 – 396.
Mack Nathan & Johnson Stephan. 2014. “United Nations Institutions: A Critical Analysis of Their Ability to Promote and Protect International Human Rights”, NUCB JLCC, 15(2), 5-13.
Chapter markers:
00:00: 04:30 - The UN and Human Rights
04:30 - 09:11 - From Normative Morals to Legal Declarations
09:11 - 13:40 - The"Ideology" of Human Rights
13:40 - 19:05 - The Vienna Conference (1993)
19:05 - 23:44 - Developing a Global Public Policy
23:44 - 30:37 - The Institutionalization of Human Rights
30:37 - 36:37 - An Ongoing Project
