Anthony Woodiwiss's pathbreaking book was the first substantive contribution to a sociology of human rights. In it, he takes up the question of whether so-called Asian values are compatible with human rights discourse and argues against human rights issues being the major obstacle to East-West co-operation. Dr Woodiwiss's sociological and post-structuralist approach to the concept of rights, and his incorporation of the transnational dimension into sociological theory, enable him to demonstrate how the global human rights regime can accommodate Asian patriarchalism, while Pacific Asia is itself adapting by means of what he calls 'enforceable benevolence'. His studies of Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore highlight similarities between Pacific-Asian and Western societies and offer a positive view of the social forces obtaining in these territories.

International efforts to construct a set of standardised human rights guidelines are based upon the identification of agreed key values regarding the relationships between individuals and the institutions governing them, which are viewed as critical to the well-being of humanity and the character of being human. This publication considers these issues of justice at the national, regional, and international levels by analysing civil, political, economic and social rights aspects.

Analyses the emerging human rights norms, regional institutions and enforcement mechanisms in Asia.

Following decades of vigorous economic expansion, Asia is confronting the environmental consequences of unfettered development. This poses a challenge because of the strong bias of prevailing cultural systems in the region toward the goal of lifting standards of living over achieving ecological sustainability. This book juxtaposes international environmental norms and practices with relevant Asian policies and their applications in key areas. Roda Mushkat examines the fundamental principle of public participation in environmental law-making, as well as the "rights approach," against the emergence of democratic and human rights norms in the region. The complex relationship between trade and the environment is also discussed in light of the strong regional emphasis on economic growth, trade liberalization, and the aversion to conditionalities. Given regionalization processes in Asia-Pacific and elsewhere, this work seeks to establish to what extent such processes have led to the regionalization of international environmental law. International Environmental Law and Asian Values concludes that, although some gaps can be identified between international imperatives and regional responses, "Asian values" have not proved to be an insurmountable barrier to the spread of international environmental legal ideas. On the whole, the region is responding to impulses emanating from the global arena rather than resisting them consciously. The analysis and conclusions of this comprehensive and original work will be of considerable interest to scholars of international law and relations, environmental policy, comparative culture, economic development, and social change.

The Oxford Handbook of International Human Rights Law provides a comprehensive and original overview of one of the fundamental topics within international law. It contains substantial new essays by more than forty leading experts in the field, giving students, scholars, and practitioners a complete overview of the issues that inform research, as well as a 'map' of the debates that animate the field. Each chapter features a critical and up-to-date analysis of the current state of debate and discussion, assessing recent work and advancing the understanding of all aspects of this developing area of international law. The Handbook consists of 39 chapters, divided into seven parts. Parts I and II explore the foundational theories and the historical antecedents of human rights law from a diverse set of disciplines, including the philosophical, religious, biological, and psychological origins of moral development and altruism, and sociological findings about cooperation and conflict. Part III focuses on the law-making process and categories of rights. Parts IV and V examine the normative and institutional evolution of human rights, and discuss this impact on various doctrines of general international law. The final two parts are more speculative, examining whether there is an advantage to considering major social problems from a human rights perspective and, if so, how that might be done: Part VI analyses current problems that are being addressed by governments, both domestically and through international organizations, and issues that have been placed on the human rights agenda of the United Nations, such as state responsibility for human rights violations and economic sanctions to enforce human rights; Part VII then evaluates the impact of international human rights law over the past six decades from a variety of perspectives. The Handbook is an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and practitioners of international human rights law. It provides the reader with new perspectives on international human rights law that are both multidisciplinary and geographically and culturally diverse.

Asia is the only area in the world that does not have a human rights court or commission covering the region as a whole. However, a close look at recent developments in the region, especially in East Asia, shows that a human rights system is emerging. Various activities and initiatives for human rights cooperation are developing in Asia at the regional, sub-regional and national levels. Since the establishment of the ASEAN human rights body (AICHR) in 2009, the need for a review of the regional human rights mechanisms in Asia is stronger than ever. With a primary focus on twenty-three East Asian states, Tae-Ung Baik highlights the significant changes that have taken place in recent decades and demonstrates that the constituent elements of a human rights system (norms, institutions and modes of implementation) are developing in Asia.

These essays include theoretical analyses by Richard Falk, Jack Donnelly and James Rosenau. Chapters on sex tourism, international markets and communications technology bring fresh perspectives to emerging issues. The authors investigate places such as the Dominican Republic, Nigeria and the Philippines.