Abstract
This chapter examines the past two decades of thought and practice on R2P. It demonstrates that whilst there have been significant ideational, political and operational shifts during that time, significant challenges remain, and it offers a reminder that because R2P is a practical norm—a principle embedded in world politics itself, not university textbooks—its use, framing and effectiveness are all buffeted by and contingent upon broader geopolitical forces. Although significant diplomatic and practical progress has been made, it is important to recognise the limits, challenges and continuing areas of contestation. The precise role that R2P can play in a given situation, like that of any norm or regime, is influenced by the political context. As such, variation from case to case is to be expected as is a degree of selectivity and a patchy overall record. The chapter argues that we need to do a better job of managing expectations, for when international principles meet global practicalities the outcomes are seldom consistent and linear.
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Bellamy, A.J. (2022). Sovereignty Redefined: The Promise and Practice of R2P. In: Gözen Ercan, P. (eds) The Responsibility to Protect Twenty Years On. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90731-0_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90731-0_2
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