The Evolution of American Hegemony and Position in International System Regarding Protecting Human Rights

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

In the post-Cold War era and after the end of ideological conflicts, capabilities have been distributed so that a highly distinctive position was considered for the United States as the hegemonic power; the position that based on the Gramsci "hegemony" theory, the physical and hard power, by itself, is not enough for its formation. Hegemony in the international system is the capabilities and innovations of a powerful state in international management style and its undisputed excellence to take advantage of economic, military, ideological and political resources. These capabilities are in the form of hard and soft resources. At this paper, we try to review human rights and the responsibility to protect the fundamental human rights being considered by countries and international community as the soft sources to create and reinforce the hegemony. Moreover, we are going to investigate the role of George W. Bush's unilateralism to reinforce and reconstruct the hegemony of this country in the international level after the decline of the United States power because of instrumental use of human rights and its responsibility to protect them. This type of instrumental and selective approach to the issue of human rights violations is clearly visible during the Arab uprisings in 2011. In this article, we will try to discuss at first hegemony and its elements based on the theory of Gramscian hegemony and the responsibility to protect doctrine. Then we will mention some examples of the selective approach of the United States to the human rights abuses and political use of the doctrine of the responsibility to protect.

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History

  • Receive Date: 17 May 2015
  • Revise Date: 27 May 2016
  • Accept Date: 27 May 2016

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