Review: Why Canada Cares Human Rights and Foreign Policy in Theory and Practice

Abstract

WHY CANADA CARES Human Rights and Foreign Policy in Theory and Practice Andrew Lui Montreal: McGill-Queeris University Press, 2012. 242 pp., $32.95 (paper) ISBN: 978-0-7735-3997-6The protection of is an essential part of Canada's national identity and foreign policy; however, relatively few books focus on in Canadian foreign policy, and even fewer on the constraints faced by it comes to international issues. It is therefore often forgotten that there has been gap between rhetoric and practice on for long time. In Why Cares Andrew Lui highlights the essence of theoretical pluralism, analyzes in Canadian foreign policy through realist and constructivist frameworks, and studies policies at both the domestic and international levels.This book is divided into two parts. In Part 1 Lui summarizes the theoretical contributions made by structural realism and constructivism in the field of international relations. In Lui's view, structural realism is compelling theory for explaining norm-inconsistent behavior, because some states prefer to pursue national interests rather than prioritize policies, for instance. Historical examples supporting structural realism can be drawn from the Cold War. Lui notes that has rarely proven willing to sacrifice material advantage for international rights (6). In other words, human did not affect Canada's international relations, despite growing interest in and other forms of foreign assistance (133). Of course, any theory has its weak points, and structural realism is no exception. This theory is of little use attempting to explain major changes in policies. For instance, concerns have become an important element in Canadian foreign policy since the end of the Cold War-a change that structural realism fails to address or account for. Though structural realism cannot fully explain what [led] to actively pursue international policies in the first place, Lui still finds merit in the theory, as he suggests that structural realism is an important framework to explain Canadian foreign policy during the Cold War-policy that seemed to eschew ethical concerns in the face of strategic pressure (7).Constructivism, in comparison, successfully explains norm-consistent behaviour in international relations and can help us better understand the role of in Canadian foreign policy beyond the end of the Cold War. Constructivism, however, lacks a general framework for the study of rights (113). It is poorly equipped to account for the observation that Canada is unwilling to bear the political and economic costs of the new requirements of international peacekeeping (159). In other words, constructivism falls short when it comes to explaining the rhetoric-reality gap and the trade-offs that are inherent to the business of statecraft (j6i).In Part 2 of the book, Lui comments on the evolution of Canadian foreign policy during three historical periods marked by the following characteristics: (1) the external projection of internationalism (1945-1968), (2) the primacy of Canadian sovereignty (1968-1984), and (3) the Canadian model of pluralism (1984-present). …