Asia Pacific and human rights: a global political economy perspective

Human rights are acquiring an increasingly prominent role on the world stage.

Interest in, concern about and action on human rights are widespread and rising, albeit in a far from globally even, uniform and untroubled fashion.

Human rights have generated a booming global industry while having become, not unconnectedly, highly controversial and deeply contested.

Human rights matters have emerged as a major source of disagreement, dispute and discord at and between the local, regional and global levels of social, cultural, political and economic life.