THE PLACE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN MAINSTREAM INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORIES: A THEORETICAL AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

This thesis examines the place of human rights (HR) within mainstream International Relations (IR) theories by analysing how these rights are understood, integrated, and assigned meaning across realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Adopting a social constructivist framework, the thesis investigates how human rights gain legitimacy and become embedded within international structures through socialisation and norm internalisation. Methodologically, the thesis also employs inductive and comparative reasoning to explore the theoretical foundations and interrelations among IR paradigms. The research first traces human rights’ origins, highlighting their grounding in natural law and diverse cultural traditions while addressing the universality-relativity debate. It then explores the tension between liberal ideals and realist practices in global politics, stressing the roles of states, international organisations, and non-governmental actors in promoting or contesting human rights. Ultimately, the study of human rights in IR is informed by three theoretical frameworks: Realist and neorealist approaches view human rights as secondary to state interests and the imperatives of anarchy; liberal and neoliberal theories place human rights at the centre of international cooperation and democracy; constructivism conceptualises human rights as socially constructed norms. The thesis suggests that a constructivist lens offers a valuable understanding of the evolving landscape of international relations and HR’s place in IR theories.