Overview

The first comprehensive account of France's relationship to human protection since the 1980s Since the end of the Cold War, the protection of human life has been a key priority of the international community. Though France has been at the forefront of these humanitarian efforts - steering debates at the United Nations and standing in opposition to wars and conflicts worldwide - its role has been overlooked and its international role in and long-standing commitment to human protection underestimated. Eglantine Staunton offers a compelling corrective to the prevailing assumptions about France's foreign policy, examining its relationship to the dominant international principles established by the humanitarian intervention of the 1990s and the UN's Responsibility to Protect doctrine in 2005. Combining case studies of the interventions in Kosovo, Rwanda and Iraq, among others, and interviews with key actors including Gareth Evans and Bernard Kouchner, Staunton's innovative theoretical framework offers a valuable tool for understanding the interplay between domestic and international norms. -- .

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9781526142405

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Reviews

'This excellent book brings to light new and original claims. The first is cultural and historical: the part played by France in the R2P story has not received the attention it deserves. The second is theoretical: the book shows the complex interplay of domestic norms with evolving international standards and expectations associated with the humanitarian intervention debates in the 1980s and 1990s, and subsequently the R2P framework adopted in the early 2000s. Through detailed and empirical work, Staunton persuasively shows that in different historical periods, France has both driven forward, and sometimes disrupted, the emerging international human protection regime.' Tim Dunne, Professor of International Relations and Pro-Vice-Chancellor, The University of Queensland 'France is a critically important but as yet little understood player in the struggle against genocide and mass atrocities. In this important new book, Eglantine Staunton combines deep insights drawn from French and other sources with fine-grained analysis and an eye for detail. The result is a compelling account of the evolution of French thinking and practice over the past few decades that adds fresh insight to our understanding of the global politics of humanitarianism. It is a must-read.' Alex J. Bellamy, Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, The University of Queensland 'A rich exploration of the history of one of the most prominent - though also most overlooked - responsibility to protect proponents: France. Staunton's important contribution argues that France's views towards humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect have been framed as much by the role played by domestic politics reflecting a unique conception of human protection as by international norms.' Phil Orchard, Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Wollongong -- .

'France is a critically important but as yet little understood player in the struggle against genocide and mass atrocities. In this important new book, Eglantine Staunton combines deep insights drawn from French and other sources with fine-grained analysis and an eye for detail. The result is a compelling account of the evolution of French thinking and practice over the past few decades that adds fresh insight to our understanding of the global politics of humanitarianism. It is a must-read.' Alex J. Bellamy, Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, The University of Queensland -- .

Author Information

Eglantine Staunton is a Lecturer in the Department of International Relations at the Australian National University.

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