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When Is the Pen Truly Mighty? Regime Type and the Efficacy of Naming and Shaming in Curbing Human Rights Abuses

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  • Hendrix, Cullen S.
  • Wong, Wendy H.

Abstract

Does naming and shaming states affect respect for human rights in those states? This article argues that incentives to change repressive behaviour when facing international condemnation vary across regime types. In democracies and hybrid regimes – which combine democratic and authoritarian elements – opposition parties and relatively free presses paradoxically make rulers less likely to change behaviour when facing international criticism. In contrast, autocracies, which lack these domestic sources of information on abuses, are more sensitive to international shaming. Using data on naming and shaming taken from Western press reports and Amnesty International, the authors demonstrate that naming and shaming is associated with improved human rights outcomes in autocracies, but with either no effect or a worsening of outcomes in democracies and hybrid regimes.

Suggested Citation

  • Hendrix, Cullen S. & Wong, Wendy H., 2013. "When Is the Pen Truly Mighty? Regime Type and the Efficacy of Naming and Shaming in Curbing Human Rights Abuses," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 651-672, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:43:y:2013:i:03:p:651-672_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Berliner, 2016. "Transnational advocacy and domestic law: International NGOs and the design of freedom of information laws," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 121-144, March.
    2. Simone Dietrich & Amanda Murdie, 2017. "Human rights shaming through INGOs and foreign aid delivery," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 95-120, March.
    3. Omer Zarpli, 2024. "To sanction or not to sanction: Public attitudes on sanctioning human rights violations," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 41(3), pages 238-262, May.
    4. Philippe Stoesslé & Valeria Alejandra Patiño Díaz & Yetzi Rosales Martínez, 2020. "Transnational Advocacy Networks of Migrants and Asylum Seekers’ Human Rights: The San Diego—Tijuana Border in the Trump Era," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-21, August.
    5. Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham, 2023. "Choosing tactics: The efficacy of violence and nonviolence in self-determination disputes," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 60(1), pages 124-140, January.
    6. Damm, Yannic & Cisneros, Elías & Börner, Jan, 2024. "Beyond Deforestation Reductions: Public Disclosure, Land-Use Change and Commodity Sourcing," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    7. Sam R. Bell & K. Chad Clay & Amanda Murdie, 2019. "Join the Chorus, Avoid the Spotlight: The Effect of Neighborhood and Social Dynamics on Human Rights Organization Shaming," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 63(1), pages 167-193, January.
    8. Cullen Hendrix & Wendy Wong, 2014. "Knowing your audience: How the structure of international relations and organizational choices affect amnesty international’s advocacy," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 29-58, March.
    9. Sara Kahn-Nisser, 2021. "For better or worse: Shaming, faming, and human rights abuse," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 58(3), pages 479-493, May.
    10. Corwin, Hillary, 2023. "Coercive and catalytic strategies for human rights promotion: State violence and foreign assistance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    11. Rochelle Terman & Erik Voeten, 2018. "The relational politics of shame: Evidence from the universal periodic review," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-23, March.
    12. Shiwei Fan & Lan Xue & Jianhua Xu, 2018. "What Drives Policy Attention to Climate Change in China? An Empirical Analysis through the Lens of People’s Daily," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-20, August.
    13. Mauricio Rivera, 2017. "Authoritarian Institutions and State Repression," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 61(10), pages 2183-2207, November.
    14. Duan, Fengyu, 2017. "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Modern History of Human Rights," LawArXiv 9uftm, Center for Open Science.
    15. Sam R. Bell & Victoria Banks, 2018. "Women's Rights Organizations and Human Trafficking," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 99(1), pages 362-376, March.
    16. Jordan Becker & Sarah E Kreps & Paul Poast & Rochelle Terman, 2024. "Transatlantic Shakedown: Presidential Shaming and NATO Burden Sharing," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 68(2-3), pages 195-229, March.
    17. Kelly Morrison, 2024. "Named and Shamed: International Advocacy and Public Support for Repressive Leaders," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 68(2-3), pages 294-321, March.

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