Human Rights in Processes of Democratisation
This paper will explore the problematique of human rights in processes of political democratisation, specifically in the case of transitions from military to democratic regimes, and mostly in the Southern Cone of Latin America. It is, therefore, a historically-bounded analysis, rather than a more general enquiry into issues of human rights in the contemporary era. The construction of a general theory cannot be undertaken without consideration of the diversity of human rights experiences; democratisation in these countries is but one such experience. I shall examine four questions relevant to this issue. The first is the nature of the human rights problem in democratic transitions. The second and third questions refer to the actions that are carried out during transitions and their impact on human rights outcomes. Finally, we consider the prospects for the human rights problematique in processes of democratic consolidation.