Call for Papers: Protecting Human Rights: Duties and Responsibilities of States and Non-State Actors

The Steering Committee of the American Political Science Association (APSA) Human Rights Section, the Council of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) Human Rights Research Committee, and the Executive Council of the International Studies Association (ISA) Human Rights Section have issued a call for papers for a conference on "Protecting Human Rights: Duties and Responsibilities of States and Non-State Actors," to take place at the University of Glasgow on June 18-19, 2012. Here's the call:

The Steering Committee of the American Political Science Association (APSA) Human Rights Section, the Council of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) Human Rights Research Committee, and the Executive Council of the International Studies Association (ISA) Human Rights Section announce their second joint international conference on the theme “Protecting Human Rights: Duties and Responsibilities of States and Non-State Actors” to take place on 18-19 June 2012 at the University of Glasgow, hosted by the Glasgow Human Rights Network. This conference is timed to coincide with the joint International Studies Association-British International Studies Association conference to be held immediately after in Edinburgh (20-22 June).

The 2005 World Summit recognized the responsibility to protect. While this may have, in sense, been a normative revolution, in another sense it was just one more in a long list of human rights responsibilities states have taken on over the last 65 years as the modern human rights regime has developed. Less attention has been focused on the growing number of responsibilities accruing to non-state actors. Further, while the discussion regarding responsibility to protect, to a large extent, has focused on military intervention, other responsibilities related to post-conflict situations, in particular, have been identified – such as those related to transitional justice and other post-conflict processes. Yet, all of these international declarations and norm-making activities raise as many questions as they answer about the willingness of relevant actors to live up to their responsibilities, as well as potential conflicts between responsibilities. This conference will examine the wide range of human rights duties and responsibilities accruing to state and non-state actors. It will be significantly multidisciplinary in character, being open to legal, philosophical, political, sociological and other perspectives.

The conference will examine the following questions and topics, among others:

• What is the nature of human rights responsibilities?
• Have these responsibilities translated into appropriate action?
• How do we define such appropriate action, and who holds these responsibilities?
• How does the international community address conflicting responsibilities?
• What types of human rights responsibilities do non-state actors have?
• What is the relationship between rights, duties and responsibilities?
• Dealing with past wrongs and failed responsibilities

The conference format will be a mixture of small panels (no more than 3 papers) with plenary keynote sessions. We hope that small panels will facilitate discussion and interchange among the participants, and the overall conference format will contribute to an intimate and relaxed two days. Confirmed keynote speakers to date include:

• Edward Luck, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect
• David Mepham, UK Director, Human Rights Watch Alan Miller, Chair, Scottish Human Rights Commission
• Henry Shue, Professor of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford

Deadline for submission of papers: 1 November. Notification of acceptance will be sent by e-mail by 1 December.

Paper submission details can be found on the ISA website - please note you will need to create a MyISA account if you do not already have one. Paper proposals must relate to the theme of the conference in some manner to be considered.

For questions about paper submissions and other aspects of the program please contact the Program Chair, Clair Apodaca, at HR@isanet.org. For all other queries related to the conference, please contact the Conference Chair, Kurt Mills, at ResponsibilityConference@glasgow.ac.uk