The International Human Rights Movement

Aryeh Neier is president emeritus of the Open Society Foundations. Previously he was executive director of Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union. His many books include Taking Liberties and War Crimes.
A fascinating history of the international human rights movement as seen by one of its founders

During the past several decades, the international human rights movement has had a crucial hand in struggles against totalitarian regimes and crimes against humanity. Today, it grapples with the war against terror and subsequent abuses of government power. In The International Human Rights Movement, Aryeh Neier-a leading figure and a founder of the contemporary movement-offers a comprehensive, authoritative account of this global force, from its beginnings in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to its essential place in world affairs today. Neier combines analysis with personal experience, and gives an insider's perspective on the movement's goals, the disputes about its mission, its rise to international importance, and the challenges to come. This updated edition includes a new preface by the author. "Aryeh Neier's insightful account of the human rights movement underlines the crucial role played by individuals and human rights defenders in speaking out against abuses. This book describes many of the human rights challenges that remain and is essential reading for all those wishing to understand the political challenges of our times."-Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations (1997–2006) "The history Neier recounts . . . is a history that he more than any other individual helped to shape. This lends authority to the tale."-Michael Ignatieff, New York Review of Books "A fact-filled, well-documented, pull-no-punches account by an insider."-Kirkus Reviews