Enforcement of international human rights law: a comparative exploration of alternative public opinion channels

Abstract

The existing scholarship implies different mechanisms for the enforcement of international human rights law through the domestic public opinion channel. In this research, we investigate the comparative influence of these alternative mechanisms in a cross-country setting. Using data from original survey experiments from the United States, Germany, and Turkey, we show that public concerns over human rights violations in foreign countries are highly politicised by strategic political relationships. Our results provide a fuller account of the specific micro-mechanisms through which the domestic public opinion channel most effectively constrains government action in enforcing international human rights law. Our findings suggest that naming and shaming by informing the public about the international human rights law violations in foreign states may not provide a consistent and reliable check, as the public defines punishment strategically based on political alliances and interests over legal context.