Review/Analysis of Articles on Issues in International Relations

Review/Analysis of Articles on Issues in International Relations

Q.1: Zewei’s article discussed the process of China’s modernization in the context of threats from Western powers on traditional Chinese Confucianism in the era of the Qing government. The author notes that the traditional Chinese world view embodied in the tributary system could not fit into the European norms and values of a balanced international relationship. After the Opium Wars in the mid-19th Century, modern and western international law confronted traditional Chinese Confucianism, based on its massive influence on foreign trade, international relations and treaties, and the world order. This substantial influence of modern international law placed heavy pressure on China, especially in the context of China’s role as a participant in global processes and platforms in trade, politics, law, and economics. The article by Zewei focused on the integration of modern international law and Confucianism and the political processes that facilitated the introduction of current international law in China. The thesis in the article is that the threat that western powers and worldwide pressure placed on China compelled the latter to come to a compromise with the West, in terms of Confucianism giving way to modern international law in China’s international engagements (Zewei 286-287). Zewei(305-306) concluded that while this compromise was the outcome of coercion from the West, its practical result was beneficial for China in terms of promoting its modernization.

Q.2: The focus in Steinberg’s article is on the role and politics of NGOs. The article discusses the influence of NGOs in world affairs, particularly in terms of humanitarian and human rights issues. In particular, the article utilizes the case of the long-running conflict in the Middle East between Arabs and Israel to demonstrate the “soft power” of these organizations. One principal idea in the article is that the “soft power” of NGOs in world affairs relates to the success of the strategy that focuses on technical expertise, normative and morality goals, non-partisan political and economic objectives, and use of the mass media avail. Steiberg (27-28) observes that the framing of advocacy in “noble” intentions such as humanitarian assistance and human rights, strategic use of the media to institute and maintain campaigns, and strategic mobilization and partnerships with influential governments and international organizations, such as the UN avail immense power for the NGOs. This power helps to push these organizations’ agendas and objectives in foreign policy and decision-making environments. The other principal idea in the article is that using this “soft power,” NGOs have influenced the Arab-Israeli conflict, particularly on Israeli foreign and security policy, through the mandate, recommendations, and procedures in the Goldstone Commission on Gaza war. Steinberg (39-41) notes that the Commission has pressurized Israel on issues of accountability, war crimes, and torture of Arabs.

Q.3: Cragg, Arnold, and Muchlinski (2) note that human rights and business developed into an international topic in 2003. Earlier, in 1998, there had been an early indication of shifting views concerning the allocation of human rights responsibilities between private and public sectors when the UN Sub-Commission for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights instituted a sessional working group to explore and report on linkages between human rights and business. Nonetheless, in 2003, the release of a report that discussed the responsibilities of businesses regarding human rights influenced the proposal that business operations ought to be a part of the subject of the provisions in humanitarian, human rights, international labor, consumer protection, anti-corruption, and environmental laws (Cragg et al. 2). The delay in linkages between businesses and human rights is attributable to the longstanding conventional belief before the late 1990s that the responsibility to protect, advance, and enhance respect for human rights lay with governments.

Works Cited

Cragg, Wesly, Arnold, Denis, and Muchlinski, Peter. Human Rights and Business. Business Ethics Quarterly, vol.22, no.1, 2012, pp.1-7.

Steiberg, Gerald. The Politics of NGOs, Human Rights and the Arab-Israel Conflict. Israel Studies, vol. 16, no. 2, n.d., pp.24-54.

Zewei, Yang. Western International Law and China’s Confucianism in the 19th Century. Collision and Integration. Journal of the History of International Law vol. 13, 2011, pp.285-306.