Economic and Social Rights after the Global Financial Crisis

Abstract

The global financial and economic crises have had a devastating impact on economic and social rights. These rights were ignored by economic policy makers prior to the financial and economic crisis and continue to be disregarded in the current ‘age of austerity’. This is the first book to focus squarely on the interrelationship between contemporary and historic economic and financial crises, the responses thereto, and the resulting impact upon economic and social rights. Chapters examine the obligations imposed by such rights in terms of domestic and supranational crisis-related policy and law, and argue for a response to the crises that integrates these human rights considerations. The expert international contributors, both academics and practitioners, are drawn from a range of disciplines including law, economics, development and political science. Featuring authors from Africa, the Americas and Europe, this collection is uniquely placed to address debates and developments from a range of disciplinary, geographical and professional perspectives.

Keywords: financial crisis, economic crisis, the Great Recession, human rights, economic and social rights, socio-economic rights, austerity, poverty, extra-territorial obligations, global governance, international financial institutions, monetary politicy, economic policy, constitutional law, social rights