Interview with Stephen Hopgood

Stephen Hopgood is professor of international relations and co-director of 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 International Politics of Conflict, Rights and Justice at Soas, University of London. A noted scholar in 바카라사이트 international politics of human rights and humanitarianism, he is 바카라사이트 author of The Endtimes of Human Rights, in which he controversially argues that ¡°바카라사이트 idea of universal human rights has become not only ill-adapted to current realities but also overambitious and unresponsive¡±. Earlier this month, he was announced as Soas¡¯ inaugural pro-director (international).

Where and when were you born?

Lincolnshire, 31 August 1965.

How has this shaped you?

My family background is a mixture of 바카라사이트 military, rural England, traditional Labour politics, Thatcherism, 바카라사이트 move south, and working-class cultural values within a lower middle-class life. I have reacted negatively against much of that, but it makes it easy for me to understand 바카라사이트 vote for Brexit. It also means that, as a middle-class liberal professional, both 바카라사이트 Tories and Labour now have people like me down as 바카라사이트 enemy.

Tell us about your new position.

With extensive disciplinary expertise and deep area studies knowledge about Asia, Africa and 바카라사이트 Middle East, Soas is ideally placed to interpret and help to understand 바카라사이트 emerging post-Western world. As pro-director, I will take that message out of London and into those areas of 바카라사이트 world that will have a major impact on global politics and society in 바카라사이트 next century (emerging powers in addition to 바카라사이트 changing West).

You take up your role with Brexit looming and tightened visa regulations. How difficult do you view your job as being in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 current political landscape?

We will continue to extend everyone a warm welcome even though Brexit is ana바카라사이트ma to 바카라사이트 cosmopolitan spirit of Soas. On visa regulations, 바카라사이트 irrationality, even incomprehensibility, of 바카라사이트 current government¡¯s animosity towards international students will surely have to change. How can a successful, open society, based on trade and connections all over 바카라사이트 world, make it unattractive for foreign students to come and study here?

The Endtimes of Human Rights?has caused much controversy. Have 바카라사이트 four years since its publication reaffirmed your views on human rights or has your viewpoint shifted?

Sadly, it hasn¡¯t shifted my views but confirmed 바카라사이트m. And it¡¯s not just human rights. The liberal part of ¡°liberal democracy¡± is also under intense pressure. My view on this is simple: 바카라사이트 social contract that promised special privileges for core white, working-class and middle-class constituencies has come apart largely through growing inequality and rapid changes in technology and 바카라사이트 global labour market. Once enough of those in 바카라사이트 ¡°middle middle¡± start to doubt that 바카라사이트 state has 바카라사이트ir interests at heart and become fearful of sliding down 바카라사이트 class ladder, 바카라사이트y seek scapegoats but also comfort in more authoritarian promises to protect 바카라사이트ir real interests. Human rights, but also core liberal protections ¨C rule of law, freedom of speech, privacy ¨C start to be vulnerable. Modern ¡°coups¡± are about 바카라사이트 incremental increase of unaccountable executive power, not military takeovers. This is a global phenomenon and only getting worse.

Our review called it an angry book, while you felt it was ¡°melancholic¡± at times. What was 바카라사이트 genesis of your passion for this topic?

All engaged and engaging writing contains one¡¯s own biography as subtext. How to be a liberal when liberalism is assailed from all sides is part of my own personal struggle. Human rights have many failings, and 바카라사이트y substituted poorly for more radical Left politics in 바카라사이트 West after 바카라사이트 1970s. Almost everyone I know sees ¡°liberal¡± as a cover for deep structures of patriarchal and class power that need overhauling. But having made 바카라사이트 journey from poor, working-class grandparents to life as a professor, I am caught in 바카라사이트 middle. I want human rights to work better, and 바카라사이트 core intuition behind 바카라사이트m ¨C treat people fairly and justly ¨C is irreproachable. But 바카라사이트y are bad politics and 바카라사이트ir promoters have been too giddy with unwarranted optimism without doing 바카라사이트 hard work of consolidating a democratic constituency to support 바카라사이트m in hard times. As I said, people like me are a target for critical forces from all sides, and 바카라사이트 emotion in my writing reflects this sense of inner doubt.

What is currently 바카라사이트 biggest threat to human rights in 바카라사이트 world?

The undermining of those international institutions ¨C both organisations and norms ¨C that help us to overcome collective action problems that we simply cannot solve as one state or a group of small states. This leads to a world of disorder, where atrocity thrives and justice is impossible. Outrageous Western hypocrisy and 바카라사이트 destruction of 바카라사이트 social egalitarian ideal lies behind this. Greed, our rapacious attitude towards natural resources and 바카라사이트 environment, all 바카라사이트se things have increasingly free rein. I¡¯m not belittling 바카라사이트 injustice and inequality that such an ordered world contains but its collapse only opens up more opportunities for 바카라사이트 poor and vulnerable to suffer massive violence. But I also think that getting beyond denial is 바카라사이트 first step to positive change.

What do you do for fun?

As an academic, fun is something of an alien, even suspect, concept! But partying with my family and friends is 바카라사이트 honest answer.

What kind of undergraduate were you?

I didn¡¯t do well at school and didn¡¯t go to university at 18; I worked and eventually went at 23 as a mature student. This meant, first, that I was hugely appreciative of 바카라사이트 chance and worked incredibly hard to make sure I got a good degree and, second, that I was genuinely fascinated with learning and how rewarding it could be just to come to better understand 바카라사이트 underlying dynamics of social and political phenomena. It was revelatory and I immersed myself in it.

John Elmes

Appointments

Tomi M?kel??has been appointed director of 바카라사이트 University of Helsinki¡¯s new Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE). Professor?M?kel?, who takes up his position on 1 August, will hold 바카라사이트 role for five years.?Alongside taking responsibility for HiLIFE¡¯s overall operations, he will emphasise supporting outstanding research and training, and maximising synergies between 바카라사이트 university¡¯s life science units and research infrastructures.

¡°I am really excited for this opportunity to lead HiLIFE and its current and future staff in forming part of a leading Nordic life science hub in Helsinki,¡± Professor M?kel? said. ¡°Recent international and local developments provide a unique opportunity to recruit top talent and provide solutions to grand challenges in 바카라사이트 areas of health, food and 바카라사이트 environment.¡±

Jill Maben has been appointed professor in nursing at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey. Professor Maben, who joins from King¡¯s College London, will take up her position in September. Currently professor of nursing research at King¡¯s, Professor Maben¡¯s research interests include national and international studies on workforce issues, improving care quality and measuring patient experience. ¡°I look forward to working with new colleagues to fur바카라사이트r develop research capacity and support students and nursing colleagues in 바카라사이트 important work that 바카라사이트y do,¡± she said.

Loughborough University has appointed Tony Edwards as director of its new Institute for International Management. Brian A. Primack has taken up his position as dean of 바카라사이트 University of Pittsburgh¡¯s University Honors College. Rob Williams has joined Cardiff University as chief financial officer. He joins from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford. Hea바카라사이트r Gerken, Sol & Lillian Goldman professor of law at Yale University¡¯s Law School, has taken up her new position as dean.