The effectiveness of human rights in a multilevel legal order under threat?

This book is the extended version of the inaugural lecture given by Professor Jasper Krommendijk on 19 June 2024 at Radboud University. Professor Krommendijk delves into the current state and effectiveness of human rights laws. Amid growing skepticism and critical debate, human rights norms are often perceived as under threat—questioned by politicians, academics, and the public alike. This lecture dissects the intricate layers of legal doctrines and empirical evidence, pushing forward the understanding of the effectiveness of human rights within a multilevel legal order.

Professor Krommendijk argues that there is no need to drown in despair. The criticism of human rights is simply a call for more research on human rights in practice. He argues that lawyers should care (more) about effectiveness and calls for both solid doctrinal legal research as well as empirical research to understand when and why human rights are effective. Such a combined legal doctrinal empirical methodology is especially warranted when studying the complex multilevel human rights order with a multitude of sources and monitoring courts and bodies at various international, regional and national levels.

This book is essential for anyone invested in the future of human rights, offering insights that are both profound and practical for safeguarding the multilevel human rights system.