Human Rights, Imperialism, And Corruption In US Foreign Policy

Description

This book provides a novel account of the role of human rights discourse in the US foreign policy. The book analyses the US State Department’s Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices as a means to monopolise and, more importantly, legitimise a specific framing of the human rights agenda to further US foreign policy. The US agenda’s deviation from established international human rights standards has very serious implications considering the preponderant global influence exercised by the US. Furthermore, more recently, the reports have added a separate section on "corruption" as a human rights issue. “Corruption”, a controversial concept from the outset, is understood in a narrow way as a public sector issue that largely prevails in and subverts the so-called developing and transition countries. This book shows how this recent inclusion ultimately serves the US global neoliberal imperialist agenda and becomes the hegemonic discourse in international organisations. Acknowledgements Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1 Panopticon: The Architecture and the Theatre of Human Rights Book Outline 2 Knowledge Production and Cultural Imperialism Human Rights and Imperialism Cultural Hegemony and Neoliberalism 3 Human Rights and American Exceptionalism American Exceptionalism Historical Evolution of the Human Rights Discourse in US Foreign Policy Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan George H. W. Bush Bill Clinton George W. Bush Barack Obama Donald Trump Joe Biden Conclusion 4 Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices Historical Development of the ACRs Expansion of Coverage Worldwide Defeating Ernest Lefever’s Nomination Human Rights Bureau and Assistant Secretaries Drafting Process Evolving Structure of the Reports Features of the Introductory Sections Contentious Issues with Specific Countries Israel Iran China Taiwan Brazil Turkey and Others Role of the ACRs Criticisms of the ACRs Conclusion 5 Corruption as a Human Rights Issue Defining Corruption Discourse on Corruption and Neoliberalism Corruption and Human Rights Corruption as a National Security Strategy ACRs and Corruption ACRs’ Frequency of Coverage of Corruption Which Countries Appear to Be More “Corrupted” in the ACRs? By Country Income By Region Transparency, Accountability, and Integrity Reflective Dimensions Conclusion 6 Global Political Implications: Demonising the Public Sector Corruption as a Human Rights Issue: Impact on Policymakers Corruption in the Sustainable Development Goals In Lieu of Conclusion Bibliography Index