Deck 8: Human Rights: The Challenge of Setting and Enforcing Global Norms

Question 1

Which of the following best defined inalienable rights?

A) rights that adhere to persons by virtue of being alive
B) rights that are defined according to national constitutions
C) rights that adhere to persons by virtue of citizenship
D) rights that adhere to persons by virtue of social agreement and contract

Answer 1

A

Question 2

When people in all countries draw on the language of human rights to name their oppression and press for change and remedy, human rights operate ______.

A) from the outside-in
B) from the inside-out
C) from the top-down
D) from the bottom-up

Answer 2

B

Question 3

When global human rights norms shape how people think and act at the local level, human rights operate ______.

A) from the outside-in
B) from the inside-out
C) from the top-down
D) from the bottom-up

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The modern human rights regime is ______.

A) derived from 18th-century philosophy and revolutions
B) fully dependent on states' sovereignty in governance and citizen rights
C) guided and codified from principles of major world religions
D) based on a set of declarations, laws, and dedicated institutions

Question 5

Prior to World War II, the human rights regime ______.

A) was a national concern for states to protect and guarantee citizens' rights
B) was driven by the American and Russian revolutions
C) was dependent on the support and principles of major religions
D) was an academic concept derived from 18th-century philosophy

Question 6

Which of the following was the most significant influence in bringing about the modern human rights regime?

A) entrenched practices of racism in the United States.
B) networks of colonies maintained by the United Kingdom
C) the targeted destruction of ethnic and religious groups across Europe
D) famine and economic collapse due to forced collectivization in the Soviet Union

Question 7

The enforcement problem with human rights treaties and institutions ______.

A) lies in the overstepping of state sovereignty to force compliance with human rights standards and laws
B) lies in the assumption of supremacy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights over other treaties and documents
C) lies in the weak ability to force violators to comply with human rights standards and laws
D) lies in the tendency to lead to global tension and trouble between sovereign states

Question 8

Entitlements to things like food, shelter, health, and education are examples of ______.

A) positive rights
B) negative rights
C) distributive rights
D) equal rights

Question 9

The right to protection of your physical integrity--for example, provisions on torture, arbitrary arrest, and slavery--is an example of ______.

A) positive rights
B) negative rights
C) distributive rights
D) equal rights

Question 10

By defining and describing discrimination against minorities, for example, human rights treaties ______.

A) identify important issues
B) delimit the scope of the issue
C) establish a space for action
D) are components of global governance

Question 11

By describing the areas in which concerns over minority discrimination may arise, for example, human rights treaties ______.

A) identify important issues
B) delimit the scope of the issue
C) establish a space for action
D) are components of global governance

Question 12

By creating human rights institutions or supranational governing bodies to hold states accountable for their actions, human rights treaties ______.

A) identify important issues
B) delimit the scope of the issue
C) establish a space for action
D) are components of global governance

Question 13

Which of the following describes the stage of treaty development in which representatives from different countries come together to work out an agreement on the promotion of human rights?

A) drafting and negotiation
B) signing by the executive
C) legislative ratification
D) implementation and monitoring

Question 14

Which of the following describes the stage of treaty development in which heads of government and state come together at a summit to approve a treaty?

A) drafting and negotiation
B) signing by the executive
C) legislative ratification
D) implementation and monitoring

Question 15

Which of the following describes the stage of treaty development in the United States, in which a treaty is put before both houses of the U.S. Congress for approval?

A) drafting and negotiation
B) signing by the executive
C) legislative ratification
D) implementation and monitoring

Question 16

Which of the following describes the stage of treaty development in which a treaty committee is formed (e.g., by the UN) to ensure compliance?

A) drafting and negotiation
B) signing by the executive
C) legislative ratification
D) implementation and monitoring

Question 17

To what does American exceptionalism refer?

A) the record of human rights in the United States
B) the idea that the United States is equal to other countries
C) the superiority of American values and norms
D) the idea that the United States should not subject itself to global governance

Question 18

Should there be a claim over human rights abuses in a country, which of the following can the UN Human Rights Council dispatch to investigate and collect evidence of these claims?

A) Special Rapporteurs
B) Commissions of Inquiry
C) Advisory Committees
D) High Commissioner for Human Rights

Question 19

Through which body or actors does the UN Human Rights Council monitor, document, and promote specific human rights issues?

A) Special Rapporteurs
B) Commissions of Inquiry
C) Advisory Committees
D) High Commissioner for Human Rights

Question 20

The primary role of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is to ______.

A) monitor, document, and promote specific human rights issues
B) document and report on specific human rights issues
C) monitor, document, and promote all human rights on a global scale
D) investigate, document, and adjudicate on human rights issues on a global scale

Question 21

The principle that international courts gain jurisdiction if a national court is incapable of bringing a war criminal to trial is an example of ______.

A) supremacy
B) complementarity
C) exclusivity
D) exceptionalism

Question 22

The European Court of Human Rights hears petitions from citizens and governments within the _______.

A) European Union
B) Council of Europe
C) European Council
D) Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe

Question 23

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights are both part of which organization?

A) American Convention on Human Rights
B) Organization of American States
C) Mercosur
D) Council of the Americas

Question 24

Which of the following provides the best explanation of the limited effectiveness of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and the still-developing African human rights regime?

A) For most members, only a state can bring a human rights complaint against another state.
B) The Court's protocol only came into force in the mid-2000s.
C) About half of the countries in Africa have accepted the jurisdiction of the court.
D) the legacy of colonialism and the number of authoritarian regimes in Africa

Question 25

The process by which human rights advocates document, publicize, and condemn human rights violations is commonly referred to as ______.

A) pressuring for change
B) holding governments accountable
C) exposing abusers and abuses
D) naming and shaming

Question 26

Which of the following is an example of a transnational advocacy network?

A) Anti-Slavery International
B) Human Rights Watch
C) Save Darfur
D) Enough! Project

Question 27

The risk of a NGO presenting inaccurate or misrepresented information with potentially little consequence to the organization is an example of the concern over NGOs' ______.

A) legitimacy
B) accountability
C) superiority
D) efficiency

Question 28

Despite the fact that many major non-state human rights actors are based in the Global North, these NGOs claim legitimacy from the fact that ______.

A) they represent the values and norms of the societies in which they operate
B) they have extensive connections outside the countries where they are based
C) they depend on credibility and impartiality when promoting human rights
D) they speak on behalf of those with less power and few connections

Question 29

Although successful at shedding light on Joseph Kony, the LRA, and human rights abuses in Uganda, the NGO Invisible Children eventually disbanded due in part to ______.

A) a lack of international accountability
B) concerns over credibility and representation
C) "Kony2012" going viral and slacktivism
D) the inability to apprehend Joseph Kony

Question 30

It is rare for the United Nations to impose general or targeted sanctions on countries that systematically abuse their citizens. For the modern human rights regime, this represents an issue of ______.

A) enforcement
B) compliance
C) differential power
D) socialization

Question 31

Critics often note that countries face few obstacles to opt into human rights regimes and pay few costs for not adhering to them. For the modern human rights regime, this represents an issue of ______.

A) enforcement
B) compliance
C) differential power
D) socialization

Question 32

In countries where governments are unwilling or unable to uphold basic human rights, non-state actors such as NGOs and civil society can draw attention to abuses and influence governments to act. This is an example of the _____ of human rights regimes.

A) differential power
B) indirect power
C) power of socialization
D) enforcing power

Question 33

In some countries, open political competition and civil societies can allow opposition groups to pressure governments to uphold basic human rights, but not in countries where such openness does not exist. For the modern human rights regime, this represents an issue of ______.

A) enforcement
B) compliance
C) differential power
D) socialization

Question 34

Human rights activists seek to ensure that rights apply to all people everywhere.

Question 35

Increasing promotion of human rights on the global scale has led to guarantees of freedom and protection.

Question 36

After World War II, the modern human rights regime has effectively superseded state sovereignty.

Question 37

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a legally binding declaration to all states that adopted it in 1948.

Question 38

The ICCPR encapsulates human rights such as freedom of worship, speech, and assembly.

Question 39

The ICESCR encapsulates human rights such as living conditions, food, and health care.

Question 40

Regional human rights systems often have stronger enforcement mechanisms than those found at the international level.

Question 41

Human rights include commitments to open access to the Internet, freedom of the press, and freedom of expression.

Question 42

The onset of new information and communication technologies has improved NGOs' effectiveness in promoting human rights.

Question 43

The promotion and protection of human rights shows global promise, but also has limitations. Using one or more real-life examples, describe how human rights effect positive change, and how they may also lead to increased tension.

Question 44

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a landmark achievement in global politics. In what ways does it shape and diffuse norms and values, and why? Use real-life examples to illustrate your arguments.

Question 45

Explain the process of how human rights treaties come into being. Describe the types and significance of different interactions that are the foundation of the human rights treaty system.

Question 46

Describe the trade-offs between regional and international approaches to human rights. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of both? What is the nature of the relationship between the two? Provide real-world examples.

Question 47

Identify the ways in which non-state actors play a crucial role in human rights promotion. What are some of the common criticisms and challenges these organizations face, and how do they work to overcome them?