The International Human Rights Movement: A History (Human Rights and Crimes against Humanity Book 40)

During the past several decades, the international human rights movement has had a crucial hand in the struggle against totalitarian regimes, cruelties in wars, and crimes against humanity. Today, it grapples with the war against terror and subsequent abuses of government power. This book offers a comprehensive and authoritative account of this global force, from its beginnings in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to its essential place in world affairs today. The book combines analysis with personal experience, and gives a unique insider's perspective on the movement's goals, the disputes about its mission, and its rise to international importance. Discussing the movement's origins, the book looks at the dissenters who fought for religious freedoms in seventeenth-century England and the abolitionists who opposed slavery before the Civil War era. It pays special attention to the period from the 1970s onward, and describes the growth of the human rights movement after the Helsinki Accords, the roles played by American presidential administrations, and the astonishing Arab revolutions of 2011. The book argues that the contemporary human rights movement was, to a large extent, an outgrowth of the Cold War, and it demonstrates how it became the driving influence in international law, institutions, and rights. Throughout, the book highlights key figures, controversies, and organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and considers the challenges to come. During The Past Several Decades, The International Human Rights Movement Has Had A Crucial Hand In The Struggle Against Totalitarian Regimes, Cruelties In Wars, And Crimes Against Humanity. Today, It Grapples With The War Against Terror And Subsequent Abuses Of Government Power. In The International Human Rights Movement, Aryeh Neier -- A Leading Figure And A Founder Of The Contemporary Movement -- Offers A Comprehensive And Authoritative Account Of This Global Force, From Its Beginnings In The Seventeenth And Eighteenth Centuries To Its Essential Place In World Affairs Today. Neier Combines Analysis With Personal Experience, And Gives A Unique Insider's Perspective On The Movement's Goals, The Disputes About Its Mission, And Its Rise To International Importance. Discussing The Movement's Origins, Neier Looks At The Dissenters Who Fought For Religious Freedoms In Seventeenth-century England And The Abolitionists Who Opposed Slavery Before The Civil War Era. He Pays Special Attention To The Period From The 1970s Onward, And He Describes The Growth Of The Human Rights Movement After The Helsinki Accords, The Roles Played By American Presidential Administrations, And The Astonishing Arab Revolutions Of 2011. Neier Argues That The Contemporary Human Rights Movement Was, To A Large Extent, An Outgrowth Of The Cold War, And He Demonstrates How It Became The Driving Influence In International Law, Institutions, And Rights. Throughout, Neier Highlights Key Figures, Controversies, And Organizations, Including Amnesty International And Human Rights Watch, And He Considers The Challenges To Come. Illuminating And Insightful, The International Human Rights Movement Is A Remarkable Account Of A Significant World Movement, Told By A Key Figure In Its Evolution.--from The Dust-jacket Front Flap. The Movement -- Putting Natural Law Principles Into Practice -- What Are Rights? -- International Human Rights Law -- International Humanitarian Law -- Defying Communism -- Rights On The Other Side Of The Cold War Divide -- Amnesty International -- Human Rights Watch -- The Worldwide Movement -- Accountability -- Rights After 9/11 -- Going Forward. Aryeh Neier. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A fascinating history of the international human rights movement as seen by one of its founders During the past several decades, the international human rights movement has had a crucial hand in the struggle against totalitarian regimes, cruelties in wars, and crimes against humanity. Today, it grapples with the war against terror and subsequent abuses of government power. In The International Human Rights Movement , Aryeh Neier--a leading figure and a founder of the contemporary movement--offers a comprehensive and authoritative account of this global force, from its beginnings in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to its essential place in world affairs today. Neier combines analysis with personal experience, and gives a unique insider's perspective on the movement's goals, the disputes about its mission, and its rise to international importance. Discussing the movement's origins, Neier looks at the dissenters who fought for religious freedoms in seventeenth-century England and the abolitionists who opposed slavery before the Civil War era. He pays special attention to the period from the 1970s onward, and he describes the growth of the human rights movement after the Helsinki Accords, the roles played by American presidential administrations, and the astonishing Arab revolutions of 2011. Neier argues that the contemporary human rights movement was, to a large extent, an outgrowth of the Cold War, and he demonstrates how it became the driving influence in international law, institutions, and rights. Throughout, Neier highlights key figures, controversies, and organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and he considers the challenges to come. Illuminating and insightful, The International Human Rights Movement is a remarkable account of a significant world movement, told by a key figure in its evolution. "During the past several decades, the international human rights movement has had a crucial hand in the struggle against totalitarian regimes, cruelties in wars, and crimes against humanity. Today, it grapples with the war against terror and subsequent abuses of government power. In The International Human Rights Movement, Aryeh Neier -- a leading figure and a founder of the contemporary movement -- offers a comprehensive and authoritative account of this global force, from its beginnings in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to its essential place in world affairs today. Neier combines analysis with personal experience, and gives a unique insider's perspective on the movement's goals, the disputes about its mission, and its rise to international importance. Discussing the movement's origins, Neier looks at the dissenters who fought for religious freedoms in seventeenth-century England and the abolitionists who opposed slavery before the Civil War era. He pays special attention to the period from the 1970s onward, and he describes the growth of the human rights movement after the Helsinki Accords, the roles played by American presidential administrations, and the astonishing Arab revolutions of 2011. Neier argues that the contemporary human rights movement was, to a large extent, an outgrowth of the Cold War, and he demonstrates how it became the driving influence in international law, institutions, and rights. Throughout, Neier highlights key figures, controversies, and organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and he considers the challenges to come."-- Provided by publisher "An expanded and updated edition of a classic work on human rights and global justice. Since its original publication, Basic Rights has proven increasingly influential to those working in political philosophy, human rights, global justice, and the ethics of international relations and foreign policy, particularly in debates regarding foreign policy's role in alleviating global poverty. Henry Shue asks: Which human rights ought to be the first honored and the last sacrificed? Shue argues that subsistence rights, along with security rights and liberty rights, serve as the ground of all other human rights. This classic work, now available in a thoroughly updated fortieth-anniversary edition, includes a substantial new chapter by the author examining how the accelerating transformation of our climate progressively undermines the bases of subsistence like sufficient water, affordable food, and housing safe from forest-fires and sea-level rise. Climate change threatens basic rights"-- Provided by publisher A fascinating history of the international human rights movement as seen by one of its founders During the past several decades, the international human rights movement has had a crucial hand in struggles against totalitarian regimes and crimes against humanity. Today, it grapples with the war against terror and subsequent abuses of government power. In The International Human Rights Movement , Aryeh Neier—a leading figure and a founder of the contemporary movement—offers a comprehensive, authoritative account of this global force, from its beginnings in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to its essential place in world affairs today. Neier combines analysis with personal experience, and gives an insider's perspective on the movement's goals, the disputes about its mission, its rise to international importance, and the challenges to come. This updated edition includes a new preface by the author.