Human Rights and Populism

The recent rise of populist political forces has challenged the universalist human rights project. Ford explores how scholars have framed and responded to this challenge, offering a provocation to the human rights movement. The book asks how we can reimagine human rights as underpinning human flourishing and important constraints on public and private concentrations of power in a post-truth 'fake news' world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

For many years, framing a problem as a "human rights issue" carried significant influence and impact in politics and international relations. However, the recent rise of populist political forces has posed a challenge to this notion. In his book, Ford delves into the recent impact of populist politics on the universalist human rights project, specifically examining how scholars have framed and responded to this challenge.

Ford presents a thought-provoking proposition to the human rights movement. Instead of asking, "What have populists done to human rights?" he challenges us to reflect on how the human rights movement itself contributed to this situation. He questions how fundamental protections for all became so easily scapegoated as "us and them," as claims of small, often foreign, minorities took center stage. Did human rights lose some essential connection to the interests and values of ordinary people? Did they become perceived as self-evident and unquestionable?

Looking ahead, the book proposes a reimagining of human rights as not only underpinning human flourishing but also serving as important constraints on public and private concentrations of power. By traversing relevant scholarly literature on the future of human rights and zooming out to observe broader patterns of political and diplomatic discourse, Ford aims to engage policymakers, diplomats, journalists, and human rights advocates, as well as anyone interested in the crisis of liberal democracies.

Through his insightful analysis and provocative questions, Ford offers a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about the future of human rights in the face of contemporary challenges. His book provides valuable insights for those seeking to navigate the complex terrain of politics, international relations, and human rights in an era marked by populist sentiments and the erosion of democratic values.

Weight: 248g
Dimension: 156 x 234 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032317533