The geopolitics of shaming : when human rights pressure works-- and when it backfires

**A bold new perspective on the strategic logic of international human rights enforcement**When a government violates the rights of its citizens, the international community can respond by exerting moral pressure and urging reform. Yet many of the most egregious violations appear to go unpunished. In many cases, shaming not only fails to induce compliance but also incites a backlash, provoking resistance and worsening human rights practices. __The Geopolitics of Shaming__ presents a new theory on the strategic logic of international human rights enforcement, revealing why and how states punish violations in other countries, when shaming leads to an improvement in human rights conditions, and when it backfires.Drawing on a wide range of evidence—from large-scale cross-national data to original survey experiments and detailed case studies—Rochelle Terman shows how human rights shaming is a deeply political process, one that operates in and through strategic relationships. Arguing that preexisting geopolitical relationships condition both the causes and consequences of shaming in world politics, she shows how adversaries are quick to condemn human rights abuses but often provoke a counterproductive response while friends and allies are the most effective shamers but can be reluctant to impose meaningful sanctions.Upending conventional wisdom on the role of norms in world affairs, __The Geopolitics of Shaming__ demonstrates that politicization is integral to—not a corruption of—the success of the global human rights project. "When a repressive government violates the rights of its citizens, the international community can respond by exerting moral pressure on that government from the outside: shining the global spotlight, condemning abuses, and urging reform. Shaming is ubiquitous in world politics, wielded by state and non-state actors alike. However, recent events have sparked new interest in resistance and backlash to international human rights norms. Scholars now recognize the potential for shaming to backfire. Yet, a robust theoretical account for such phenomena-the "dark side" of human rights shaming-remains lacking. This book provides such an account, investigating two closely related questions. First, why and how do states shame each other for human rights violations? Second, when does shaming lead to an improvement in human rights conditions, and when does it backfire? Terman argues that whether shaming works depends on the relationship between the country shaming and the country being shamed. Criticism exchanged between friends and allies is more effective, she shows, because it entails greater leverage and credibility. Shaming from rivals and adversaries, in contrast, is more likely to backfire. Terman provides evidence for her theory using cross-national data, original survey experiments, and detailed case studies. Together, her findings cast doubt on the power of international pressure to promote human rights while upending the received wisdom on the role of norms in world affairs. By identifying the conditions under which shaming is effective, the book offers practical guidance for governments, international organizations, and civil society actors wanting to promote human rights abroad"-- Provided by publisher

A bold new perspective on the strategic logic ofinternational human rights enforcement When a governmentviolates the rights of its citizens, the international communitycan respond by exerting moral pressure and urging reform. Yet manyof the most egregious violations appear to go unpunished. In manycases, shaming not only fails to induce compliance but also incitesa backlash, provoking resistance and worsening human rightspractices. The Geopolitics of Shaming presents a newtheory on the strategic logic of international human rightsenforcement, revealing why and how states punish violations inother countries, when shaming leads to an improvement in humanrights conditions, and when it backfires. Drawing on a wide rangeof evidence-from large-scale cross-national data to original surveyexperiments and detailed case studies-Rochelle Terman shows howhuman rights shaming is a deeply political process, one thatoperates in and through strategic relationships. Arguing thatpreexisting geopolitical relationships condition both the causesand consequences of shaming in world politics, she shows howadversaries are quick to condemn human rights abuses but oftenprovoke a counterproductive response, while friends and allies arethe most effective shamers but can be reluctant to imposemeaningful sanctions. Upending conventional wisdom on the role ofnorms in world affairs, The Geopolitics of Shamingdemonstrates that politicization is integral to-not a corruptionof-the success of the global human rights project.

A bold new perspective on the strategic logic of international human rights enforcement When a government violates the rights of its citizens, the international community can respond by exerting moral pressure and urging reform. Yet many of the most egregious violations appear to go unpunished. In many cases, shaming not only fails to induce compliance but also incites a backlash, provoking resistance and worsening human rights practices. The Geopolitics of Shaming presents a new theory on the strategic logic of international human rights enforcement, revealing why and how states punish violations in other countries, when shaming leads to an improvement in human rights conditions, and when it backfires. Drawing on a wide range of evidence—from large-scale cross-national data to original survey experiments and detailed case studies—Rochelle Terman shows how human rights shaming is a deeply political process, one that operates in and through strategic relationships. Arguing that preexisting geopolitical relationships condition both the causes and consequences of shaming in world politics, she shows how adversaries are quick to condemn human rights abuses but often provoke a counterproductive response, while friends and allies are the most effective shamers but can be reluctant to impose meaningful sanctions. Upending conventional wisdom on the role of norms in world affairs, The Geopolitics of Shaming demonstrates that politicization is integral to—not a corruption of—the success of the global human rights project. CONTENTS List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgments 1 Introduction 2 A Relational Theory of International Shaming: The Shamer 3 A Relational Theory of International Shaming: The Target 4 Interstate Shaming in the Universal Periodic Review 5 International Shaming and Domestic Politics 6 Applications 7 Conclusion Works Cited Index A NOTE ON THE TYPE