What impact do diplomatic disputes have on the International Responsibility to Protect (R2P) norm? This question is being explored by a project team of PRIF with their partners from the Australian University of New South Wales. Within the cooperative project “R2P: The Various Effects of Norm Contestation”, Alan Bloomfield and Kavitha Suthanthiraraj are visiting PRIF in July 2016.
The effects of contestations have meanwhile become an issue of dispute in research. Two hypotheses compete: On the one hand, it is argued that controversies about the application of norms might weaken the latter. On the other hand, it is countered that contestations could activate processes of deliberation strengthening the norm. The German-Australian research project picks up both hypotheses and subjects them to test on the basis of the International Responsibility to Protect.
Among Alan Bloomfield and Kavitha Suthanthiraraj, Shirley Scott, Professor for International Relations of the University of New South Wales in Sidney, is involved on the Australian side. The German project team of PRIF consists of Prof Nicole Deitelhoff, Dr. Lisbeth Zimmermann, Antonio Arcudi and Gregor Hofmann.
The project is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Universities Australia.
Further information on the project: R2P: The Various Effects of Norm Contestation