Routledge Political Economy of Human Rights: Rights, Realities & Realization

Political Economy of Human Rights presents the first comprehensive examination of human rights through a political economy lens, bridging international human rights frameworks with the economic and political realities that shape them globally and locally. This volume challenges conventional UN-led approaches to human rights by reconceptualising them as both legal resources and political instruments for change. Rather than treating human rights as static protections, the book explores how they function as tools for transforming systemic barriers and enabling meaningful freedoms. Part of the Routledge Frontiers of Political Economy series, this work fundamentally reshapes how scholars, policymakers and advocates understand the relationship between economic systems, political power and human rights realisation. It addresses the gap between rights in theory and their practical implementation, offering critical insights into how national strategies and international missions can better align with the lived experiences of people facing economic marginalisation.