Human Rights in International Relations

Reviews / Votes

'The idea of human rights is so powerful that those who would violate it in the privacy of their torture chambers are compelled to swear fealty to it in global public discourse. David Forsythe draws our attention to the tension between personal rights and the workings of the interstate system in a world in which the human rights norm, including international humanitarian law, is ever more firmly established yet actual protections have come under growing stress in practice. The resilience of the norm has contributed to changes in the nature of state sovereignty. In this third edition of a well-regarded and well-established textbook, Forsythe continues his mission to clarify and update via an impressive, illuminating and engaging analysis of one of the most powerful political impulses of the contemporary era.' Ramesh Thakur, Australian National University 'The third edition of David Forsythe's Human Rights in International Relations maintains his reputation for excellence. I have found the first two editions to be essential teaching texts, very popular with my students, without which I could not cover the entire range of topics necessary in a comprehensive political science course on human rights. This edition brings students right up to date, with analysis of such events as the Arab spring and the Obama administration's actions with regard to Guantanamo Bay.' Rhoda E. Howard-Hassmann, Wilfrid Laurier University