Global Norm Evolution and the Responsibility to Protect

Non-Western powers such as Brazil, China, India, Russia and South Africa are increasingly shaping global norms, at times by way of attacking them. Research on the development and implementation of global norms has only partly been able to provide an explanation for this phenomenon. These challenges, along with the non-linear and non-teleological evolution of norms, have been as under-researched as non-Western perspectives.

The research project “Global Norm Evolution and the Responsibility to Protect” aimed to close the existing research gap both conceptually and empirically by focusing on one of the central processes of norm evolution at the global level in recent years: the development of the Responsibility to Protect. The following topics were investigated in this context:

1. How have the positions taken by arising powers evolved in recent years with regard to the responsibility to protect?
2. How has interaction between these powers shaped the evolution of this global norm?

The project investigated these questions by way of actor case studies (for Brazil, China, the EU, India, Russia, South Africa and the US) and interaction case studies in the period from 2005 to 2012.

The case studies and the resulting conceptual considerations led to three peer-reviewed  joint publications: a special edition of the journal Die Friedens-Warte (Band 88, 1–2 -LINK), a special issue of the journal Conflict, Security and Development (Vol. 14, 4 -LINK), and a special issue of the journal Global Society (Vol. 30, 1 -LINK). A peer-reviewed, edited volume is currently in the works with Routledge.

The project was jointly implemented with partners from the Global Public Policy Institute Berlin (project coordination), Oxford University, Peking University, the Fundação Getulio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro, Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi and Central European University in Budapest.
The project was funded by the Volkswagenstiftung in cooperation with the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond and the Compagnia di San Paolo.

Project Duration: November 2012 until April 2015. This research agenda will be continued within this research department.