A cross-national analysis of the guarantees of rights

Abstract

What are the predictors of rights guarantees at the level of individual countries? We examine this question within the context of what factors lead certain countries, but not others, to have legislation prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination in the workplace between 1972 and 2002. In the theoretical framework, a combination of domestic forces (past inclusion of minorities, culture, and democratic conditions) and global trends (regulation by supranational bodies and globalization) predict guarantees of rights. To test the theory, generalized estimating equation time-series cross-sectional analyses are performed on data from 161 countries. The results, which are robust to changes in model specification and alternative measurement schemes, confirm our key hypotheses. We conclude by discussing the implications of this research for the study of rights generally.

Rainbows and crosses: Noncompliance with EU law prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination

“…In the world of morality policy, religious organizations and beliefs have long been recognized as factors affecting if and when progressive morality laws are adopted, such as the decriminalization of homosexual sexual relations and adoption of same-sex marriage laws. 8 For example, when religious organizations begin to lose believers due to secularization, less restrictive morality policies are adopted (Inglehart, 2008; Sommer and Asal, 2014). Existing research shows that levels of religiosity in society are strong predictors of tolerance for homosexuality (Ayoub, 2016: 137; Finke and Adamczyk, 2008) and, thereby, whether laws protecting sexual minorities will advance (Fernández and Lutter, 2013; Inglehart and Welzel, 2005; Sommer and Asal, 2014).…”

“…8 For example, when religious organizations begin to lose believers due to secularization, less restrictive morality policies are adopted (Inglehart, 2008; Sommer and Asal, 2014). Existing research shows that levels of religiosity in society are strong predictors of tolerance for homosexuality (Ayoub, 2016: 137; Finke and Adamczyk, 2008) and, thereby, whether laws protecting sexual minorities will advance (Fernández and Lutter, 2013; Inglehart and Welzel, 2005; Sommer and Asal, 2014). Figure 1 shows the relationship between those reporting religion as very or somewhat important in their lives, according to the 1999 European Values Survey, and opinion about the presence of sexual orientation discrimination in their country, according to the 2002 Eurobarometer (European Values Study (EVS), 2000).…”

The Nexus Between Urbanisation and Human Empowerment: Income Group Based Findings of Bidirectional Causality

“…A rather hefty and steadily growing body of theoretical and empirical literature, the roots of which can be traced back to Aristotle, addresses and debates the economic and social drivers of the democratisation process, and the emergence and consolidation of democracy and democratic institutions that augment and guarantee human rights (Barro 1999;López-Córdova & Meissner 2005;Glaeser, Ponzetto & Shleifer 2007;Papaioannou & Siourounis 2008;Sommer & Asal 2014). As N. Thede (2009) observes, democratisation, development and human rights are complementary processes with complex interactions amongst themselves.…”

Attitudes Toward Homosexuality and Perceptions of the United States Abroad*

“…Spread of postmodern values and growing income equality in mature democracies may contribute to greater tolerance toward homosexuality than in new democracies or nondemocracies (Andersen and Fetner, ). The combination of domestic conditions (including level of democracy) and international trends contributes to various countries granting gay rights, while legal path dependence is key to decriminalization of homosexuality cross‐nationally (Sommer and Asal, ; Asal, Sommer, and Harwood, :323). Hildebrandt () argues that religious variables and colonial legacies help explain cross‐national variation globally whereby some countries criminalize homosexuality while others do not.…”