Power, Politicization, and Network Positions : Explaining State Participation in the UPR

Abstract

Review (UPR) ensures formal equality among participating member states. However, previous literature emphasizes the interference of state interest and politics in undermining the universal peer evaluation mechanism. In this article, I argue that while the UPR shows certain bias in state behavior for providing recommendations, the UPR otherwise functions according to its purpose of condemning human rights violations. I find that member states' human rights index scores and the level of democracy correlate with the number of recommendations received and the betweenness centrality measures. First, I apply social network analysis (SNA) on state interaction in the UPR literature enabling inter-network comparisons with international trade relations, military dispute, and alliance relationships. The QAP analyses depict that the UPR network has a low association with the military dispute network and the alliance network. Second, individual level analyses demonstrate that states with higher national capabilities and a greater amount of trade exports are more likely to provide recommendations. Nonetheless, higher human rights index levels lead to more recommendation providing activity while smaller in magnitude. However, the amount of recommendations received by a state suggests that states with low human rights records and low levels of democracy receive more recommendations. Furthermore, the betweenness centrality measures highly correlate with the human rights index and the level of democracy implying that the general standard of human rights influences the degree of state centrality in the UPR network. This study acknowledges the presence of politicization among states in providing recommendations, but also ensures that the UPR is shaming states according to its main purpose in criticizing the human rights violations of non-compliers.

Talk of shame: Conflict-related sexual violence and bilateral critique within the United Nations

“…On the one hand, studies of the UPR find support for the general intuition that a correlation should obtain between the human-rights performance of states and the criticism they receive from other states (Asgari & Sanaei, 2017; Bae, 2018). A recurrent finding here, however, is that a wider range of factors actually determines how often and how strongly such criticism is voiced (Abebe, 2009; Sweeney & Saito, 2009; Freedman, 2011; Carraro, 2017; Terman & Voeten, 2018).…”

“…Filling the remaining gap: What a study of CRSVshaming has to offer When scrutinizing whether shaming actually reflects realities on the ground, the above-mentioned studies focus on a state's overall human-rights performance (Lebovic & Voeten, 2006;Asgari & Sanaei, 2017;Bae, 2018), rather than on specific violations. This is indispensable in a general assessment of a peer-reviewing institution, but it also has limitations.…”

“…A recurrent finding here, however, is that a wider range of factors actually determines how often and how strongly such criticism is voiced (Abebe, 2009; Sweeney & Saito, 2009; Freedman, 2011; Carraro, 2017; Terman & Voeten, 2018). More specifically, states are less likely to shame political and military allies as well as major aid-receiving states (Bae, 2018; Terman & Voeten, 2018). In general, furthermore, states that voice such criticism have greater material capacities and higher human-rights standards than do states which do not (Abebe, 2009; Cowan & Billaud, 2015; Bae, 2018).…”

“…More specifically, states are less likely to shame political and military allies as well as major aid-receiving states (Bae, 2018; Terman & Voeten, 2018). In general, furthermore, states that voice such criticism have greater material capacities and higher human-rights standards than do states which do not (Abebe, 2009; Cowan & Billaud, 2015; Bae, 2018). Another finding concerns universalism vs. cultural relativism with regard to human rights: states animated by universalist notions voice criticism both more often and more harshly.…”