Beyond norms and interests: understanding the evolution of transnational human rights activism

This article explores the evolution of transnational human rights activism since the end of World War II. It argues that the scholarly literature has focused too much attention on how interests and principles drive transnational mobilisation, while neglecting the profound evolutionary changes within the sector itself. In challenging interest-based explanations of human rights activism, we show that human rights groups have shifted from predominantly reactive 'shaming' strategies to more proactive efforts designed to address root causes of gross violations.