Myth or Lived Reality - On the (In)Effectiveness of Human Rights

This book seeks to explore, from a multidisciplinary perspective, whether human rights are, in fact, a myth or a lived reality. Over the years much has been said about their effectiveness or, rather, their ineffectiveness.

This perceived ineffectiveness relates not only to institutional challenges at the international level, but also to national implementation mechanisms and processes. In addition, questions have arisen as to whether individuals or groups of individuals actually benefit from the normative guarantees contained in human rights law and whether human rights as legal constructs can be effectively translated into better outcomes.

This volume can be distinguished from the existing literature by virtue of the fact that it not only brings together scholars at different stages of their careers, but also that it incorporates contributions that adopt different methodological perspectives and cover a variety of topics.

The book should prove of great benefit to human rights researchers, human rights practitioners, NGOs and students.

Claire Boost is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Maastricht University.
Andrea Broderick is an Assistant Professor at the Department of International and European Law, Maastricht University.
Fons Coomans is a Professor at the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights and Peace, Department of International and European Law, Maastricht University.
Roland Moerland is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Maastricht University.

Specific to this book:

• Provides an explanation of what human rights law in practice does or does not mean in specific cases and situations
• Offers different methodological perspectives - quantitative analysis with regard to the domestic effectiveness of the right to education; qualitative methods; and legal doctrinal methods, combined with socio-legal research
• Provides a cross-border/international perspective as the topics covered examine the effectiveness of human rights across various borders and offer diverse interpretations and examples of (in)effectiveness and human rights
• Covers a wide variety of topics ranging from immigration/refugees and children's rights to socio-economic rights, education and housing