Ending the Cold War is a Good Place to Start

Recently, I told my daughter that the U.S. media had hyped the Chinese toy recall. “Just more rehashing of Cold War rhetoric,” I said. My two-year old daughter rebuked me: “Come on, Mom! You read politics into everything!” Then, after a moment or two of silence, she said, “Oh yes, I see what you mean. The Chinese toys with toxic paints could have been made in sweatshops owned by U.S. multinationals” (proud mom—politically aware daughter)

Review of \u3cem\u3eHuman Rights in the United States: Beyond Exceptionalism.\u3c/em\u3e Shareen Hertel & Kathryn Libal, (Eds). Reviewed by Judith Blau.

Book review of Shareen Hertel & Kathryn Libal, (Eds). Human Rights in the United States: Beyond Exceptionalism (2011). Cambridge University Press. $99.00 hardcover;$36.99 paperback

Geopolitics or Human Rights?

George Soros’ article, “On Israel, America and AIPAC” serves as a sobering reminder that the human rights revolution is constantly being scuttled by geopolitics that not only sideline human rights, but more devastatingly undermine their premises. I happen to agree with him that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is a major obstacle to the U.S. normalizing relations with any country in the Middle East, including and especially Israel. AIPAC is something of a misnomer because it is a coalition, not a committee, and some of its key members include neo-cons, as Soros mentions, as well as Christian evangelicals. AIPAC has long been powerful in influencing American foreign policy with respect to Israel and the Middle East, but never as powerful as it is now with the Bush administration

Human Rights and the Roles of Social Scientists

Human rights entail an expansive conception of humans that stresses their inherent equalities, their responsibilities in democratic societies, and their rights as individuals and group members. This paper refers to the human rights revolution, especially how it is evident in constitutions, and the relationship between human rights and public goods. Also sketched out are some of the ways that social scientists can promote human rights

Notes From the Field: After All, Where Do Human Rights Begin? The Case of Two Small Cities in North Carolina

Judith Blau and Manuel Rafael Gallegos Lerma teach Soc 273 together at the University of North Carolina (UNC). This course is devoted to human rights. From the very beginning, Judith and Rafael worked to establish the Human Rights Center of Chapel Hill and Carrboro (HRC). Since Fall of 2010 the students in the class have been integrated into the activities of the HRC, through service-learning. This is a note from the field on their experiences with the HRC

“American Exceptionalism”—On What End of the Continuum?

This paper draws from global understandings about Human Rights, recasting them in terms of a sociological conception of the dimensions of a Decent Society. We pose our questions within the framework of American Exceptionalism, because the assumptions that underlie that term have never been empirically examined. Can we conclude on the basis of this analysis that America, when compared with other countries, advances human rights? No. Can we conclude on the basis of this analysis that America, when compared with other countries, is a Decent Society? No. Can we conclude on the basis of this empirical analysis that America, when compared with other countries, is Exceptional? Destined to promoting liberties and freedoms around the world? No

Notes From the Field: After All, Where Do Human Rights Begin? The Case of Two Small Cities in North Carolina

Judith Blau and Manuel Rafael Gallegos Lerma teach Soc 273 together at the University of North Carolina (UNC). This course is devoted to human rights. From the very beginning, Judith and Rafael worked to establish the Human Rights Center of Chapel Hill and Carrboro (HRC). Since Fall of 2010 the students in the class have been integrated into the activities of the HRC, through service-learning. This is a note from the field on their experiences with the HRC

“American Exceptionalism”—On What End of the Continuum?

This paper draws from global understandings about Human Rights, recasting them in terms of a sociological conception of the dimensions of a Decent Society. We pose our questions within the framework of American Exceptionalism, because the assumptions that underlie that term have never been empirically examined. Can we conclude on the basis of this analysis that America, when compared with other countries, advances human rights? No. Can we conclude on the basis of this analysis that America, when compared with other countries, is a Decent Society? No. Can we conclude on the basis of this empirical analysis that America, when compared with other countries, is Exceptional? Destined to promoting liberties and freedoms around the world? No

Ethnic buffer institutions: the immigrant press: New York City, 1820-1984

Die Verfasser untersuchen die Rolle der Einwanderer-Presse in der Stadt New York zwischen 1820 und 1984. Dabei unterscheiden sie zwischen den aus Europa stammenden alten Einwanderern und den neuen Einwanderern aus Süd-, Mittel- und Osteuropa. Geprüft werden verschiedene Hypothesen, die Bezug nehmen auf Einwanderungswellen, auf jeweilige Zahlen neuer Ankünfte, auf fremdstämmige Verschiedenheiten, auf Arbeitslosigkeit und auf Einwanderungsbeschränkungen. Als Schlussfolgerung ergibt sich: Zeitungen werden gegründet, wenn neue Einwanderer ankommen. Sie spielen deshalb in ersten Linie eine wichtige Rolle für die zu empfangenden Neuankömmlinge, nicht für das Establishment und die Aufrechterhaltung der ethnischen Gemeinschaften. Die Publikationen gehen jedoch zurück, wenn Einwanderungsbeschränkungen auferlegt werden und vermutlich Furcht diesen Prozess begleitet. Schließlich gestatten die Ergebnisse einige Vermutungen über die Zufälligkeit der ethnischen Identität und darüber, ob die Identität eher von der Herkunft der Einwanderer oder von den Bedingungen am Zielort abhängt. (prh)'Among the most important ethnic institutions is the immigrant press, but the role it plays is subject to some debate. Distinguishing between old (Northern European) and New (South, Central and Eastern European) immigrants to New York City and their newspapers, this research examines hypotheses that relate to immigration waves, actual numbers of new arrivals, foreign-born diversity, unemployment, and immigration restrictions. The conclusion is that newspapers are founded as new immigrants arrive and, therefore, they primarily play an important role in the reception of newcomers and not in the establishment and maintenance of ethnic communities. Fear also plays a role; newspaper publication declines when immigration restrictions are imposed. Finally, the results permit some speculation about the contingencies of ethnic identity, and whether identity depends more on the origins of immigrants or is contingent on conditions in the places of their destinations.' (author's abstract