United States Human Rights Policy in the 21st Century in an Age of Multilateralism

46 SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY LAW JOURNAL 421 (Spring 2002)

7 Pages Posted: 14 Oct 2015

Date Written: 2002

Abstract

Professor Harold Koh’s thoughtful article ends with the observation that “globalization has both sinister and constructive faces.” Indeed, we live in a world that is increasingly interdependent. Even some of those opposed to the project of globalization ironically depend on the tools of globalization to undermine it. Consider the terrorists who hijacked airplanes on September 11, 2001 and flew them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing thousands of innocent civilians from many different nations. The terrorists used the Internet and other online technology to spread the message of hate underlying their plot, transnational money transfers to finance it, and commercial airlines to execute it. Rather than allow such sinister forms of interdependence to flourish without an effective counter-weight, U.S. human rights policy in the twenty-first century should be more fully engaged in shaping and participating in international institutions and legal regimes that promote constructive forms of global interdependence. However, the United States has disengaged from a number of critical efforts to promote rule of law through multilateral institutions and regimes. This disengagement is disturbing and can be criticized on both normative and instrumentalist grounds. In this Response, I first discuss a number of international initiatives in which U.S. participation was sought but rejected or resisted. Second, I discuss normative considerations concerning U.S. participation in international institutions. Finally, I turn to instrumentalist considerations concerning U.S. involvement in these institutions.

Suggested Citation

Powell, Catherine, United States Human Rights Policy in the 21st Century in an Age of Multilateralism (2002). 46 SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY LAW JOURNAL 421 (Spring 2002), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2674197

Catherine Powell (Contact Author)

Fordham University School of Law ( email )

150 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023
United States

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