Tony Evans critically investigates the theory and practice of human rights in the current global order. Evans covers a range of contentious debates as he considers critiques of the prevailing conceptions of human rights. He then explores the changing global context of human rights issues, the nature and status of human rights within that context, and recent institutional responses. With its emphasis on policy and process, his book offers a rich analysis of the politics of today's human rights regime.

Human rights are acquiring an increasingly prominent role on the world stage. Interest in, concern about and action on human rights are widespread and rising, albeit in a far from globally even, uniform and untroubled fashion. Human rights have generated a booming global industry while having become, not unconnectedly, highly controversial and deeply contested. Human rights matters have emerged as a major source of disagreement, dispute and discord at and between the local, regional and global levels of social, cultural, political and economic life. These developments are addressed in the book by an examination of the links between the evolving global human rights regime (GHRR) and the character and course of human rights in the world's most dynamic, complex and problematic region, that of the Asia Pacific. The authors argue that although the Asia Pacific and human rights nexus is influenced by cultural clashes, it is largely shaped by power distributions and struggles rooted in the global political economy (GPE). The prevailing GHRR reflects the way in which globalization processes have been Western led, but its future is far from certain given the current shift in the balance of GPE power towards the Asia Pacific, and especially East Asia.

Global human suffering in the twenty-first century seems bitterly entrenched, with almost half of the world's people remaining impoverished and over 26,000 children dying daily from preventable causes. This powerful and empowering text offers a way forward, presenting a realistic roadmap for enhanced benevolent global governance with practical, workable solutions to mass poverty. Now fully updated, including new chapters, The Global New Deal outlines the legal responsibilities for all institutions, organizations, and states under international law to respect, protect, and fulfill economic and social human rights. William F. Felice focuses on seven key areas: the dynamics within international political economy that contribute to economic inequality and create human suffering, the U.N.'s approach to economic and social human rights, the priority of ecosystem protection within all development strategies, the degree of racial bias prevalent in global economics, the relationship between gender equality and economic growth, the impact of military spending on human development, and the importance for the United States to adopt a human-rights approach to poverty alleviation. Arguing for a "global new deal," a set of international and national public policy proposals designed to protect the vulnerable and end needless suffering, this book provides a viable direction for structural reform to protect those left behind by the global economy.

The plethora of literature produced over the past decade in response to the perceived failure of the human rights project to deliver results for billions of people living in ‘adverse’ environments has usually focused on international legal standards and mechanisms, with little regard for the root structural realities that constrain their implementation. Hence, a text that primarily focuses on the major challenge of realisation of human rights in the context of diverse realities is urgently needed. This book, then, provides an analytical as well as inspirational text on human rights from a contextual perspective; it offers a reconceptualisation of human rights as not merely legal resources, but political tools as well. After an introduction that familiarizes the reader with some of the key concepts used throughout, the book is divided into six chapters. The first two combine a critique of the overly legal use of human rights with a reconceptualisation of their potential as powerful tools outside of the legal context. The next two chapters examine the nature of the structural challenges that face realisation, both on the global and on the local level. The last two chapters analyse two major areas of the human rights deficit: the structural non-implementation of the rights of the poor and the failing protection of non-dominant collectivities. Finally, a concluding chapter elaborates on the main findings and insights gained. The book combines rigorous juridical study with a focus on political-economic analysis of rights in context. Hence, it aims at an interdisciplinary treatment of human rights as opposed to current texts that have a tendency to be monodisciplinary. The book should be of interest to students of human rights, political economy, law and conflict studies, as well as those who work or research in these areas.

This powerful and empowering text offers a way forward for alleviating human suffering, presenting a realistic roadmap for enhanced global governance that can create workable solutions to mass poverty. William Felice and Diana Fuguitt emphasize the critical links between international human rights law, international political economy, and global organizations to formulate effective public policy to alleviate human suffering and protect basic human rights for all. They introduce students to the key legal and economic concepts central to economic and social human rights, including the right to education, a healthy environment, food, basic health care, housing, and clean water. They analyze the legal approaches undertaken by the United Nations and explain the key theories of international political economy (including liberalism, nationalism, and structuralism) and central economic concepts (including global public goods, economic equality, and the capabilities approach). In the last decade, a backlash against economic globalization has been fueled by a variety of politicians around the world. A resurgent nationalism is often pitted against international organizations and frameworks for global cooperation. In this new edition, Felice and Fuguitt account for how the current global political climate has affected national and global policies for the provision of public goods and the protection of human rights. They focus on practical policies and actions that both state and nonstate actors can take to uphold economic and social rights. As the first book to integrate these legal and economic approaches, it provides a practical path to action for students, academics, and policy makers alike.

This is a new edition of this popular introduction to the politics of human rights.Tony Evans argues that the state's central role in protecting and promoting rights has been severely weakened under globalization and that as a consequence human rights are becoming less attainable. As the value of the market grows, the value of individual human rights decreases. The author departs from traditional interpretations of human rights by focusing on the political economy of human rights rather than on the philosophical or legal aspects. He analyses how issues related to globalization, such as the environment, population movement patterns and free trade impact on individual human rights. In conclusion, he argues that the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other major treaties must be renegotiated to take globalization into account.