Strategic Visions for Human Rights takes a multi-disciplinary approach to future directions for human rights. It looks beyond what international human rights treaties have so far established and considers the context in which rights in the twenty-first century might develop to meet needs. The book examines how international law might be utilized to protect groups rather than just individual members of the group and it also calls into question the liberal positivist approach to international law that provides the framework for human rights norms.

The book is written and published in honour of Professor Kevin Boyle. It celebrates his long career in human rights law both as an academic and a practising barrister. Professor Boyle has taken numerous cases on human rights issues to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and has long been involved in human rights aspects of the peace process in Northern Ireland. He has published widely on human rights issues, focusing on freedom of expression and religion and non-discrimination.

The contributors to this volume are well-known academics in the field of human rights and include Francesca Klug, Conor Gearty, David Beetham and Asbjorn Eide. Amongst some of the issues addressed in the book are the future of the European Court of Human Rights, the role of academics play in engendering transition to post-conflict democratic states, and human rights and religious pluralism.

Contents

1. War and Peace in Northern Ireland: Reflections on the Contribution of Academic and Human Rights Communities, Tom Hadden, 2. Law and Human Rights Rather than International Human Rights Law, Geoff Gilbert, 3. Universality, Historical Specificity and Cultural Difference in Human Rights, David Beetham, 4. Doing Human Rights: Three Lessons from the Field, Conor Gearty, 5. Rights and Righteousness: Friends or Foes? Francesca Klug, 6. Human Rights, Power, and the Protection of Free Choice, Sheldon Leader, 7. Conscientious Objection to Military SRachel Brett and Laurel Townhead, 8. In Search of the Third Freedom – ‘everywhere in the world’ Asbjørn Eide, 9. Lobbying for Rights During the ‘War on Terror’: The American Civil Liberties Union After 9/11, Richard J. Maiman, 10. The Future of the European Court of Human Rights, Françoise Hampson

Author Bio

Geoff Gilbert, Françoise Hampson and Clara Sandoval are all members of the School of Law at the University of Essex, UK.