PSCI-1102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 34: Transitional Justice
7 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
States do not have an incentive to reveal their own bad behavior. States reporting of other states" rights records often suffers from claims of political bias, which decreases the legitimacy of the reports. To combat this, researchers use many resources from different organizations in order to make reports. Have to take into account changing standards. Abusers may sign treaties to improve their international image. States that sign the treaties are already less likely to abuse human rights - selection effects. States might sign treaties for appearance but still engage in human rights abuses outside of public eye. There is small punishment for abuses and enforcement is not stable/constant. States are unable to take on costs even though they agree morally. Human rights agreements may constrain, but only in certain limited conditions. A more optimistic scenario posits that human rights treaties may effect over the longer term throughout transnational advocacy. Domestic demands for action the government not to act.
