Research Methods in Human Rights

‘The expert contributions represent critical and reflective assessments of how to research human rights. The book discusses different disciplinary perspectives, including law, economics, history, political science and ethnography. In a global setting where major social challenges require multidisciplinary responses, the book is especially welcome for the careful presentation and exploration of different disciplinary perspectives, qualitative, quantitative and mixed approaches. The contributors offer helpful discussions of the nuances and complexities within each approach. Revised and with welcome new chapters covering critical issues such as comparative human rights and the impact of digital technologies, this remains an essential work for any reading list on human rights.’
– Rory O''Connell, Ulster University, Northern Ireland

‘This book highlights the rapid development in Human Rights research methods: the first edition was published in 2017, and now the editors have found it valuable not only to update but also to revise most of the chapters. The first edition quickly became the go-to resource for understanding human rights research methodology. The new edition adds further depth to the evolution of human rights research methodology and will therefore contribute significantly to the consolidation of insights of scholars and students working in the field.’
– Morten Kjaerum, Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Sweden

Acclaim for the previous edition:

‘Research Methods in Human Rights presents a fascinating overview of the various disciplinary ways of approaching human rights. It has helped me to reassess and scrutinise my own predispositions and approaches towards legal research and will certainly be a useful companion for new and established researchers from all disciplines relevant to the field.’
– Robin Ramsahye, Journal of International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict

‘The expert contributions represent critical and reflective assessments of how to research human rights. The volume discusses different disciplinary perspectives, including law, economics, history, political science and ethnography. In a global setting where major social challenges require multidisciplinary responses, the volume is especially welcome for the careful presentation and exploration of different disciplinary perspectives but also interdisciplinary methodology. The contributors offer helpful discussions of the nuances and complexities within each approach. An essential work for any reading list on human rights.’
– Rory O’Connell, Ulster University, Northern Ireland

‘This book contributes to bringing human rights research out of its infancy. Having matured over three decades, it is high time to raise the discussion on its methodology to a new level. With its roots in legal studies, human rights research today embraces a much wider range of disciplines. Offering a profound, interdisciplinary analysis, this book offers the reader a deepened understanding across many fields. It will soon be a classic in higher education and research institutions.’
– Morten Kjaerum, Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Sweden

Contributors include: Edward Anderson, Bård A. Andreassen, Stephen Bagwell, Roland Burke, Edzia Carvalho, Anna-Luise Chané, K. Chad Clay, Laura Ferguson, Anne Hellum, Steven L.B. Jensen, Daniel Kacinski, Malcolm Langford, Tomas Max Martin, Lorna McGregor, Siobhán McInerney-Lankford, Sally Engle Merry, Claire Methven O’Brien, Matthew Rains, Michael Riegner, Hans-Otto Sano, Margaret Satterthwaite, Arjun Sharma, George Ulrich, Wouter Vandenhole, Annie Watson

Contents:

Preface xii
1 Introduction to Research Methods in Human Rights: approaches and
trends in human rights methodology and methods 1
Bård A. Andreassen, Claire Methven O’Brien and Hans-Otto Sano

PART I HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH AND LEGAL APPROACHES
2 Legal methodologies and human rights legal research: challenges and
opportunities 13
Siobhán McInerney-Lankford
3 Comparative human rights law 37
Michael Riegner
4 Studying human rights in plural legal contexts: an exploration of water
laws in Zimbabwe 57
Anne Hellum

PART II HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH IN SOCIAL SCIENCE AND
THE HUMANITIES
5 Comparative analyses and institutional pluralism in human rights research 79
Bård A. Andreassen
6 Economics and human rights 100
Edward Anderson
7 From the normative to the transnational: methods in the study of human
rights history 119
Steven L. B. Jensen and Roland Burke
8 The potential of ethnographic methods for human rights research 137
Sally Engle Merry

PART III QUALITATIVE METHODS IN HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH
9 Qualitative methods of data generation and analysis 151
Edzia Carvalho
10 Inside the organization: methods of researching human rights and
organizational dynamics 178
Hans-Otto Sano and Tomas Max Martin

PART IV QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH
11 Quantitative methods in advocacy-oriented human rights research 201
Margaret Satterthwaite and Daniel Kacinski
12 A comparative assessment of composite measures of human rights performance 223
Annie Watson, Matthew Rains, Stephen Bagwell, and K. Chad Clay
13 Social network analysis in human rights research 247
Anna-Luise Chané and Arjun Sharma

PART V CHALLENGES AND PRACTICES IN HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH
14 Research ethics for human rights researchers 267
George Ulrich
15 Mixed methods in human rights 290
Malcolm Langford
16 Human rights-based approaches: methodological challenges 319
Wouter Vandenhole
17 Researching the human rights impact of new and emerging digital technologies 337
Lorna McGregor
18 Assessing work at the intersection of health and human rights: why,
how and who? 360
Laura Ferguson