The Developmental Dialectic of International Human-Rights Advocacy
Author(s)
Jennings, Todd E.
Abstract
Examined the psychological processes leading to international human-rights advocacy using a series of focus group interviews with 39 international human-rights advocates (aged 24-70 yrs). Results suggest that the developmental processes leading to human-rights advocacy can be described as a dialectic between one’s view of society and one’s self-concept. This dialectic then creates a felt moral obligation to address oppression, followed by a need to preserve the self-concept by maintaining a sense of integrity between self-concept and personal behavior. The specific self-concept characteristics of advocates and their perspectives of their society are outlined, and ways that interaction of the two can result in political advocacy for the rights of those outside one’s own group are discussed.
