Encyclopedia of Human Rights [Hardcover]

David P Forsythe (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195334027 | ISBN-13: 978-0195334029 | Publication Date: August 11, 2009 | Edition: 1

Winner of the 2010 Dartmouth Medal, this major five-volume encyclopedia offers comprehensive coverage of all aspects of human rights theory, practice, law, and history. The set will provide situation profiles and full coverage of the development of the movement, historical cases of abuse, the key figures, major organizations, and a range of other issues in economics, government, religion, and journalism that touch on human rights theory and practice.

In addition to providing original analytical articles covering standard subjects such as the right to health and health care, Amnesty International, the Balkan wars, and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, it offers innovative coverage of such subjects as the Internet, intellectual property rights, the American civil rights movement, globalization, and Brazil in historical context. Focusing primarily on developments since 1945, it offers an unrivaled reference source for students and researchers; even human rights experts are likely to find much original
material and keen insights in many of the entries.

KEY SUBJECT AREAS INCLUDE:

ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS:
American Civil Liberties Union, World Health Organization, UNICEF, Carter Center

LEADING FIGURES:
Adolf Hitler, Steve Biko, Elie Wiesel, Simone de Beauvoir, Joseph Stalin, Eleanor Roosevelt, Pol Pot, Shirin Ebadi, Kim Jong Il


HUMAN RIGHTS EVENTS AND CRISES: Darfur, Irish Famine, Soviet Gulag, Central America in the 1980s, Colonialism, Belgian Congo, AIDS

HUMAN RIGHTS NORMS:
Ethnic Cleansing, Women's Rights, Religious Freedom, Torture: International Law, Disability Rights

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Inspired by Edward H. Lawson’s one-volume Encyclopedia of Human Rights (1991) and its 1996 revision, this new Encyclopedia of Human Rights is a thorough and balanced effort to define, explain, and analyze a complex topic that Louise Arbour, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and author of the foreword, calls “a story that is still being told.” The set is intended to be a “tool for all those who are interested in increasing their own capacity to advance the realization of human rights in their community, their nations, and our common world.” The encyclopedia defines human rights as “international consensus on the minimum conditions for a life of dignity.” In his introduction, editor Forsythe (University of Nebraska Department of Political Science) provides an excellent overview of the history, philosophy, and key developments in the international law of human rights. The set’s 300 peer-reviewed articles were written by approximately 250 contributors affiliated with academic institutions in 30 countries. Although some pre-1945 events and topics, such as French Revolution and Irish famine, are included, the articles focus primarily on developments since 1945, when human rights were included in the UN charter. Far from short definitions, the articles are in-depth analyses of individuals (Jimmy Carter, Pol Pot, Elie Wiesel); countries and regions (Haiti, Uganda); religious traditions (Baha’i Faith, Islam); international legal instruments (Helsinki Accord, United Nations Convention against Torture); specific rights and concepts (Crimes against humanity, Genocide, Right to privacy); and organizations and institutions. Articles on the UN and related organizations comprise nearly 100 pages; other organizations include Amnesty International, Doctors without Borders, and World Health Organization. The intended audience is students and the general public as well as scholars, and many of the topics will be greeted enthusiastically by those writing undergraduate papers on topics such as AIDS/HIV, the death penalty, female genital mutilation, and torture. Country articles are especially strong in their inclusion of the history and present situation of human rights and the roles played by geopolitical and ethnic factors. At 5 to 15 pages in length, articles are clearly written and well organized, each beginning with an introduction to the topic and divided into subtopics. Each article concludes with an expertly selected bibliography, with items ranging from scholarly monographs to publications of international government organizations and NGOs. Many articles are available online, with URLs provided. The bibliographies will be excellent resources for students wanting to identify further reading for paper topics. The Encyclopedia of Human Rights is a vital resource on one of the most important topics of our time. It is an essential purchase for law, college and university, and large public libraries. --Christine Whittington

Review

"This encyclopedia comes at a momentous time in the world movement to protect human rights because it is now maturing into a force to be reckoned with. Only history will tell us whether the movement's full promise is realized."--From the Preface by Andrew Natsios, Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy, the Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University; former Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development; and former U.S. Special Envoy to Sudan

"I am confident that this five-volume set will provide useful assistance to those who stand up for rights, their own and those of others."--From the Foreword by Louise Arbour, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

"The best features of this work are the excellence of the articles, both for the clear and understandable prose and the in-depth analyses of the subjects, the very detailed index, and the carefully selected bibliographies...This encyclopedia provides a much-needed addition to the literature on human rights and should serve as the major resource for students, researchers, and human rights workers seeking the kind of analytical information it presents." --American Reference Books Annual

"Forsythe has produced a magnum opus sure to take its place as a major contribution to the literature. All previous encyclopedic works on the subject pale in comparison. The sheer massiveness of this undertaking makes it a remarkable achievement."--CHOICE, Editor's Pick

"A vital resource on one of the most important topics of our time."---Booklist STAR review and Editors' Choice

"Truly satisfies one of the pleasures that lie at the heart of being a historian: finding facts and isolating critical turning points in the intellectual history of the human rights idea. And for those readers seeking answers to a vast array of questions in a quick and accessible
manner, this encyclopedia will serve students, teachers, and interested readers
extremely well. For those of us in the field, it allows us to quickly summarize areas we might include in teaching syllabi or within our own research with extensive bibliographies that point the direction forward for further research." --Human Rights Quarterly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 2672 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (August 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195334027
• ISBN-13: 978-0195334029
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.6 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 17.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,662,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

• Due to this item's unusual size or weight, it requires special handling and will ship separately from other items in your order. Read More