The Politics of Human Rights: A Global Perspective

by Tony Evans

In the past, violations of human rights were commonly portrayed as atrocities perpetrated by tyrannical dictatorships. Today, the images of torture at Abu Ghraib gaol, and the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, put the lie to this assumption. State violations of human rights have a global reach. This new edition of Tony Evan's introduction to the politics of human rights examines the impact globalization is having on human rights worldwide. He argues that the state’s role in protecting and promoting rights has been severely weakened under globalization – and that the emerging global order may be a cause of many human rights violations. As the value of the market grows, the value of individual human rights decreases. Tony Evans 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. Rejecting liberal assumptions about globalization, Evans argues that human rights continue to be determined by hierarchies of knowledge and power.

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2001

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Anthony Tyrone "Tony" Evans Sr. is an American evangelical pastor, speaker, author, and widely syndicated radio and television broadcaster in the United States. Between 1976 and 2024, Evans served as senior pastor at the over-9,500-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas.

Reviews

[flaams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually review books for my MA degree until I have passed my final with a decent grade, but this book deserves to be treated better than the rest because I would probably suggest you read it even if you're not an international cooperation student like me.
Evans provides a very clear description of the current human rights discourse and thoroughly analyses most of the criticism addressed to the discourse presenting challenges, examples and contradictions of both.
a very interesting reading

[Emily Gifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a critique of the real-world application of the logic of human rights in politics, this book would be a good start. Takes a seemingly pessimistic approach to the topic but gives the reader some food for thought. I wasn’t overly impressed, but the organization and delivery of the material was solid.