Debating Human Rights: Critical Essays from the United States and Asia(Asia's Transformations)

Provoking fresh considerations of the issues between East and West, this book of essays presents a diverse range of voices. Asian and Western scholars and activists advance a range of debates as the book attempts to resolve these polarized positions. It examines issues of central importance in human rights diplomacy with chapters including: US/China relations; Asian values; peaceful evolution; and cultural imperialism.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements. Contributors. Introduction. Issues in Dispute From Human Rights to Human Dignity Chandra Muzzaffar. The Human Rights Debate in a era of Globalization: Hegemony of Discourse. Nikhil Aziz . Asia as a Fount of Universal Human Rights Edward Friedman . An Asia Perspective on Human Rights and Freedom of the Press Kishore Mahbubani . Humnan Rights in Greater China . East Meets West: Human Rights in Hong Kong Linda Butenhoff . Developmentalism and China's Human Rights Policy Michael J. Sullivan . Human Rights as Identities: Difference and Discrimination in Taiwan's China Policy Shih Chihyu . Women's Rights . Reinventing International Law: Women's Rights as Human Rights in the International Community Radhika Coomaraswamy . From Vienna ti Beijing: Women's Human Rights Activism ans the Human Rights Community Manisha Desai . Human Rights and INternational Relations Human Rights and Developmnent Aid: Japan after the ODA Charter. Hoshino Eiichi . Human Rights Problems and Current Sino-American Relations Zhu Feng . From Judge to Participant: The United Sates as Champion of Human Rights Daniel Wessner . Conclusion.

About the Author :
Peter Van Ness is associate professor at the Graduate School of International Studies, University of Denver, and research associate, Contemporary China Centre, Australian National University.

Review :
..."the book is a valuable source of enlightenment on an invaluable subject of human concern." -"Journal of contemporary Asia "In post-Cold War international Relations, there has been no more controversial issue in American foreign policy than how to advance the cause of human rights. Van Ness's "Debating Human Rights is a wide-ranging and provocative exploration of U.S. and international perspectives on human rights diplomacy and practice. By highlighting American and Asian differences on the 'Asian values' debate, Van Ness and his colleagues sharpen our understanding of the inevitable tension between power politics and human rights concerns. This volume is of considerable contemporary relevance in the context of the Asian financial crisis." -Richard Solomon, President, United States Institute of Peace "A major achievement of this book is to counter the often stated and over inflated distinction between 'Western' and 'Asian' sides in ongoing debates regarding culture and politics. The chapters are lucid, edifying, and provocative... [the book] is a marvelous contribution to the world-wide discussion on contemporary political values." -Ben Kerkvliet, Australian National University