Foot, Rosemary
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Human rights and counterterrorism in global governance: Reputation and resistance

Global Governance

Abstract

Focusing on U.S. and Asian state behavior, and UN and Asia-Pacific organizations, I explore the argument that a reputation for effectiveness in the counterterrorist campaign has become more significant than a reputation for defending human rights. I conclude that only where human rights issues had established a reasonably firm domestic and international institutional foothold before September 11, 2001, does a reputation built on concern for the protection of human rights retain an ability to constrain certain of the illiberal trends associated with the counterterrorist agenda. Nevertheless, even in these instances, counterterrorist requirements are shaping institutional behavior and rhetoric and depleting the resources available for dealing with human rights abuse.