The Political Sociology of Human Rights

The language of human rights is the most prominent 'people-centred' language of global justice today. This textbook looks at how human rights are constructed at local, national, international and transnational levels and considers commonalities and differences around the world. Through discussions of key debates in the interdisciplinary study of human rights, the book develops its themes by considering examples of human rights advocacy in international organisations, national states and local grassroots movements. Case studies relating to specific organisations and institutions illustrate how human rights are being used to address structural injustices: imperialist geopolitics, authoritarianism and corruption, inequalities created by 'freeing' markets, dangers faced by transnational migrants as a result of the securitization of borders, and violence against women. • Presents debates alongside case studies, helping students to understand not only how others have approached the study of human rights but how they might approach it themselves • Explains the complexities of achieving respect for human rights in practice using simple, clear language but without recourse to simplistic formulations and solutions • Discusses contemporary examples of human rights issues: social and economic (poverty, displacement) and cultural (group rights to protection of ways of life), as well as civil and political (state killing, detention of migrants) and those that do not easily fit into existing categories (violence against women) • Gives close attention to activism, organisations and structures in the global south as well as the northwest