Research Project “De-Centering Human Rights: Liberalism, Human Rights, and the Global South” - 2022 to 2025 with the SCRIPTS Cluster of Excellence of Freie Universität Berlin
From 1 September 2022 to 31 August 2025, Prof. Dr. Anna Holzscheiter together with Prof. Dr. Tobias Berger and Prof. Dr. Thomas Risse, is leading the project which is part of SCRIPTS, a cluster of excellence based at Freie Universität Berlin. Prof Dr Anna Holzscheiter is involved in the project as external Principal Investigator. More information on the project can be found here.
The research project is delving into the complex relationship between representatives of the Global South and liberal ideas in the realm of human rights. The project takes an expansive approach, viewing human rights not as a fixed doctrine but as a dynamic arena where various normative perspectives intersect and sometimes collide. The focus spans across different facets of global governance, where the boundaries of human rights norms have faced intense scrutiny. In areas such as trade and global health, actors from the Global South have raised questions about the compatibility of human rights with economic liberalism and international intellectual property protection regimes. By exploring the historical and contemporary engagement of Global South actors with human rights, the researcher aim to shed light on their agency in shaping the international order.
The project unfolds in two parts, each tackling distinct questions. On the one hand, the research takes a historical perspective, tracing the evolution of international human rights and examining how Global South actors have influenced current human rights institutions. It also investigates the extent to which human rights activism in the Global South has been influenced by liberal values. On the other hand, the project shifts its focus to contemporary global governance. Here, the research explores how state and non-state actors from the Global South employ human rights to challenge the practices of ostensibly liberal actors on the international stage.
This project aims to foster interdisciplinary discussions among leading scholars in the field, with a particular emphasis on innovative empirical methodologies. To facilitate these conversations, the project has planned two workshops, one in 2023 and another in 2024, both expected to culminate in joint publications.
The project challenges the prevailing narrative that associates human rights exclusively with Western and Northern liberal democracies. While the influence of these regions on international human rights is undeniable, actors from the Global South have also played vital roles as authors, owners, interpreters, and challengers of both liberal ideas and the human rights discourse.
Through its comprehensive approach and interdisciplinary engagement, this project promises to offer fresh insights into the multifaceted relationship between Global South actors and human rights. By exploring historical trajectories and contemporary dynamics, it aims to enrich our understanding of how human rights have evolved and continue to shape the current international order.
Academic Contacts
Prof. Anna Holzscheiter
Professor, Technische Universität Dresden
Chair for International Politics, Institute for Political Science
Mail:
Prof. Thomas Risse Senior Professor for International Politics, Freie Universität Berlin Mail:
Prof. Tobias Berger Assistant Professor for Political Science with reference to the Transnational Politics of the Global South, Freie Universität Berlin Mail: