Human rights are among our most pressing issues today, yet rights promoters have reached an impasse in their effort to achieve rights for all. Human Rights for Pragmatists explains why: activists prioritise universal legal and moral norms, backed by the public shaming of violators, but in fact rights prevail only when they serve the interests of powerful local constituencies.

Jack Snyder demonstrates that where local power and politics lead, rights follow. He presents an innovative roadmap for addressing a broad agenda of human rights concerns: impunity for atrocities, dilemmas of free speech in the age of social media, entrenched abuses of women’s rights, and more.

Exploring the historical development of human rights around the globe, Snyder shows that liberal rights–based states have experienced a competitive edge over authoritarian regimes in the modern era. He focuses on the role of power, the interests of individuals and the groups they form, and the dynamics of bargaining and coalitions among those groups. The path to human rights entails transitioning from a social order grounded in patronage and favouritism to one dedicated to equal treatment under impersonal rules. Rights flourish when they benefit dominant local actors with the clout to persuade ambivalent peers. Activists, policymakers, and others attempting to advance rights should embrace a tailored strategy, one that acknowledges local power structures and cultural practices.

Constructively turning the mainstream framework of human rights advocacy on its head, Human Rights for Pragmatists offers tangible steps that all advocates can take to move the rights project forward.

'In this excellent study of human rights activism, Snyder emerges as a practical-minded champion of liberalism, urging human rights advocates to concentrate on popular appeals and democratic politics. Displaying an impressive mastery of more than two centuries of world politics, Human Rights for Pragmatists is smart, provocative, and powerful. This is a fresh and challenging contribution to some of the biggest debates about democracy’s fate in an era of rising populist authoritarianism.' — Gary Bass, author of The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide

'Human Rights for Pragmatists is an important political primer for any advocate of the movement. This must-read comes at a critical juncture to remind us why victories for rights are not only matters of principle, but also of power and self-interest.' — Emilie Hafner-Burton, author of Making Human Rights a Reality