Srdja Popovic is the co-founder of CANVAS, and was a founding member of the Otpor! (“Resistance!”) a movement that had a crucial part in bringing down the Milosevic regime in Serbia. He recently coauthored an article in the Journal of Democracy with Sophia McClennen and Joe Wright called, “How to Sharpen a Nonviolent Movement.”... Continue Reading →
Human Rights and US-China Rivalry in Development Cooperation
By Salvador Santino Fulo Regilme Jr. This post was originally written for www.suedostasien.net. The website will publish a German translation in February. Human Rights and US-China Rivalry in Development Cooperation How did post-Cold War US foreign aid shape the advancement of human rights in Southeast Asia, and what specific mechanisms were employed to achieve this impact?... Continue Reading →
Canada’s “Notwithstanding Clause”
By Peter L. Biro What is The Notwithstanding Clause In 1982, Canada amended its Constitution, patriating it from the UK Parliament and entrenching basic civil liberties in a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter). Section 33 of the Charter - the “notwithstanding clause” (NWC) - allows Parliament or a provincial legislature to pass an... Continue Reading →
The Long Shadow of Qatar’s Human Rights Abuses
By Cathryn Grothe A Spotlight on Qatar The international spotlight is on Qatar for the 2022 World Cup. It’s not only the football matches that are receiving global attention, but also Qatar’s harrowing human rights record. To fully appreciate the controversy surrounding this year's host country, it is important to understand the long history of... Continue Reading →
Meaning and Purpose in the Constitution
Become a Patron! Meaning and Purpose in the Constitution Last week the American Supreme Court made two rulings on individual rights. In one case the court reversed its position on constitutional rights for women. Meanwhile, in another case they affirmed new rights to carry firearms in public. The constitution does not mention either of these... Continue Reading →
Abortion Rights is About More than the Right to Choose
Abortion Rights After Roe The debate over abortion was always more than it seemed. Advocates for the right to abortion describe themselves as pro-choice, but many women do not believe they have a choice when they terminate a pregnancy. They suffer emotional trauma from rape or incest. They may lack the resources to provide for... Continue Reading →
Sarah Repucci from Freedom House with an Update on Freedom in the World
Sarah Repucci is the Vice President of Research and Analysis at Freedom House. She coauthored (along with Amy Slipowitz) Freedom in the World 2022: The Global Expansion of Authoritarian Rule. Become a Patron! You can't protect basic human rights if you don't have democracy. If you're going to protect basic human rights, you need to... Continue Reading →
Freedom in the World: An Update
Become a Patron! Freedom in the World The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not an isolated event. Their aggression has broadened in recent years from incursions into Georgia, the annexation of Crimea, and support of separatists in the Donbas region. Yet this historical moment is not simply about Russia and Ukraine. It symbolizes a shift... Continue Reading →
Rana Siu Inboden on China and the International Human Rights Regime
Rana Siu Inboden joins the podcast to discuss China's participation in the international human rights regime. Rana is a senior fellow with the Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas–Austin. Her new book is China and the International Human Rights Regime: 1982-2017. Chinese participation in the human rights regime... Continue Reading →
The Human Rights Regime: A Podcast Primer
The Human Rights Regime This week’s podcast focuses on China and the international human rights regime with Rana Siu Inboden. The poor state of human rights in China is widely known. The tragedy at Tiananmen is just one of many chapters in a long story of disrespect for human rights. When I was younger, people... Continue Reading →