The traumatic experience of World War II led to an international consensus on the need of a universal framework protecting the rights of each individual and the integrity of communities. The United States having been largely isolationist before the War entered the World stage and took a substantial part in the formulation of human rights. Against the background of the Cold War the institutionalization of a common framework was everything but easy. In retrospect it seems that the American commitment to human rights is ambivalent. On the one hand American rhetoric constantly uses human rights as a legitimating moral claim, on the other hand it stays in its exceptionalist tradition and sees itself not to be in need of any international supervision.
To understand the gap between ideal and reality, the concept of American exceptionalism needs to be examined. How does this conception affect the political culture in the USA and how can we explain this sense of superiority? Another question will be the legitimacy of this belief and the rationale that drives policy makers to perpetuate this notion. To evaluate the commitment to human rights in foreign policy, it will be necessary to have a look at the different administrations and their attitude toward human rights. They all face institutional constraints in policy decision making so that even if there is a “real” commitment to human rights, it is not enough that the president himself endorses such a framework. Similarly, there are other national interests that can trump moral considerations which was especially evident during the Cold War. Special events and public opinions as well as ideological beliefs of the main actors strongly influence the place of human rights in the hierarchy of preferences. Even though good intentions can be identified in some administrations, the commitment to human rights in US foreign policy remains rather marginal and serves merely as a legitimating rhetoric. This affect not only the credibility of the United States itself but the validity of the whole concept of universal human rights.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- American Exceptionalism and competing national interests
- US Foreign Policy and Human Rights in Retrospect - Rhetoric vs. Reality
- Conclusion – exceptionalist multilateralism
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the commitment to human rights in US foreign policy since 1945. It explores the complex relationship between American exceptionalism, competing national interests, and the implementation of human rights principles in international affairs.
- American Exceptionalism and its impact on US foreign policy
- The tension between promoting human rights and pursuing national interests
- The role of domestic politics and institutional constraints in shaping US human rights policy
- The legitimacy of American exceptionalism in the context of universal human rights
- The evolution of US human rights policy under different administrations
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of American exceptionalism and its influence on US foreign policy. It discusses the historical context of the post-World War II era and the development of the human rights framework.
- American Exceptionalism and competing national interests: This chapter examines the notion of American exceptionalism and its impact on US human rights policy. It explores the reasons for the US's reluctance to fully embrace international human rights standards and analyzes the tension between universalism and national interests.
- US Foreign Policy and Human Rights in Retrospect - Rhetoric vs. Reality: This chapter delves into the history of US foreign policy and its approach to human rights. It analyzes the gap between rhetoric and reality, exploring the factors that have influenced the US's implementation of human rights principles in practice.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on key themes such as American exceptionalism, human rights, US foreign policy, national interests, and international law. It examines the historical context of the post-World War II era, the development of the human rights framework, and the impact of domestic politics on US foreign policy. It also analyzes the legitimacy of American exceptionalism and its influence on the implementation of human rights principles in international affairs.
- Quote paper
- Sonja Meyer (Author), 2007, Human Rights in US Foreign Policy, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/116656
