Companies, International Trade and Human Rights

Abstract

Originally published in 2005, this book focuses on the role of corporations within the trading system, and the complex relationships between corporations, nation states and international organisations. The actions and motives that drive corporations are considered as well as the structure of the international trading system. Remedial devices such as Codes of Conduct and Human Rights instruments are assessed for effectiveness. The book seeks reasons for what is a growing understanding that international trading regimes are not meeting objectives found in many international agreements, including both the international trade agreements themselves (WTO, GATT, TRIPS etc.) and human rights instruments. In particular, it is clear that the prevalence and severity of poverty is not being adequately addressed. This work sets out to investigate the role played by companies in this failure in the globalisation of trade to realise its aims, in particular the failure to achieve the minimum of basic rights, the right to food.

The New Political Role of Business in a Globalized World: A Review of a New Perspective on CSR and its Implications for the Firm, Governance, and Democracy

“…In the legal studies therefore some researchers have proposed to apply international law not only to state actors but to corporate actors as well (Clapham, 2006; Dine, 2005; Kinley and Tadaki, 2004; Muchlinski, 2007; Vagts, 2003; Weissbrodt and Kruger, 2003; Zerk, 2006), or to expand the influence of national law on corporations that violate human rights abroad (Taylor, 2004). Here the focus is on the misbehaviour of companies operating globally.…”

The role of multinational corporations in Indonesian economic development through foreign direct investment and international trade

“…33 Although multinational companies are not formally included as decision-makers in the decision making process in the WTO, negotiators in the WTO trade from developed countries represent the interests of multinational corporations. 34…”

Electoral Politics and the Party Politicisation of Human Rights: The Case of UK Westminster Elections 1945-2010

“…Accordingly, given this background it is hypothesised that in UK politics there is evidence of inter-party differences in issue-salience (hypothesis 2) and a right-left political cleavage in manifesto discourse as parties promote or resist human rights in their policy programmes (hypothesis 3). In addition, the literature on electoral competition highlights how parties may adapt their programmes to respond to voter attitudes on human rights (Bernstein, 1997;Dine, 2005;Redly, 2008;Peters and Wolper, 1995) -as well as policy claims by human rights campaigners (Wiseberg and Scoble, 1977;Mutua, 2002;Nelson and Ellen, 2003). It is therefore hypothesised that there are differences in the frames and tropes used in the discourse of human rights in UK state-wide parties' manifestos (hypotheses 4 and 5).…”