The Role of Business in the Responsibility to Protect

Reviews / Votes

'In the past, predatory business practices have sometimes enabled crimes against humanity. This book identifies how some businesses have profited from human misery while also providing welcome examples of how the private sector can play a crucial role in undermining the politics of the machete and the mass grave. In doing so, this book broadens our understanding of the international community, of our collective responsibility to protect, and of how the private sector - whose wealth, resources and capacity can easily exceed those of failing or fragile states - can play a vital role in the prevention of mass atrocities.' Simon Adams, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, The Graduate Center, City University of New York 'That business can be an instrument in building peace has now been firmly recognized. Including the business sector in the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) debate seems only natural, having in mind the capacity of the business community to influence societal attitudes and structures. In this new book professor John Forrer and Conor Seyle make an important effort in putting this agenda forward.' Per L. Saxegaard, Founder and Chairman, Business for Peace Foundation 'The private sector is an increasingly influential actor in global governance - the network of arrangements that ensure order, stability and predictability even in the absence of world government. Business can sustain and profiteer from group violence. But it also has important roles to play before, in and after armed conflicts in underwriting peace, stability and prosperity as the pathway to sustainable profits. One important role is to partner with other key actors in implementing the responsibility to protect populations at risk of mass atrocities. This invaluable collection of essays by leading experts systematically explains why, how and with what prospects.' Ramesh Thakur, Australian National University, Canberra, International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) Commissioner and Editor-in-Chief, Global Governance 'This volume fills an important lacuna in the literature on how business relates to the responsibility to protect. The contributing authors offer practical and theoretical insights and examples that will be of interest to many on the ways the private sector can support (or undermine) the goals of the responsibility to protect.' Abi Williams, President, The Hague Institute for Global Justice 'This book, with its focus on how business actors may contribute to the global Responsibility to Protect Agenda (R2P), pioneers a whole new agenda for research and policy formulation. In the process, the authors challenge our standard conceptions of both business and R2P.' Kristian Berg Harpviken, Director, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)