Trade Imbalance: The Struggle to Weigh Trade and Human Rights
The international community's failure to coordinate economic trade and human rights can undermine achievements in both spheres, says Susan Aaronson, associate research professor of international relations at George Washington University and coauthor of Trade Imbalance: The Struggle to Weigh Human Rights Concerns in Trade Policymaking (Cambridge University Press, 2007). In her lecture she presents findings and recommendations regarding the extent to which human rights are considered in contemporary world trade policies. “I‘m amazed that we don’t know what human rights are essential for [economic] growth to occur,” she declares, calling for more scholarly inquiry. “Are political rights a precursor to economic growth? Do they come before economic rights, or vice versa? If we could get a better handle on these things then we could get a better handle on how to regulate trade.” Audience questions and discussion follow her remarks.
Date: February 20, 2008
Location: Devlin 101