The Liberal Project and Human Rights

John Charvet is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics. Elisa Kaczynska-Nay is a lawyer and researcher, working on issues of economic development and international law.

• Introduction; Part I. Liberal Beginnings: 1. The contextual origin of liberal thought and practice; 2. The Westphalian society of sovereign states; 3. The growth of liberal universalism; Part II. UN Regime on Human Rights: 4. The UN and regional declarations and covenants on human rights; 5. The right of peoples to self-determination; 6. Right to development; 7. Women's international human rights; 8. The implementation of international human rights; Part III. Critique and Defence of Liberalism: 9. Western critiques of liberal human rights; 10. Liberalism and non-western cultures; 11. In defence of liberalism.

'This is an exceptionally valuable book. It combines an admirably clear and well written analysis of the theory and practice of international society with a rigorous examination and defence of the underlying philosophy on which it rests. The result is tough-minded liberal theory at its very best.' James Mayall, Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge