ABSTRACT
After establishing R2P’s conceptual weight in the previous three chapters, the analysis moves away from theoretical contributions in order to assess the practical dimensions of the responsibility to protect civilians. In this second part of the book, I first follow the normative trajectory of R2P from its emergence in 2001 up to the support it has attracted in principle in the political realm in 2009. This exercise will then allow for a scrutiny of the gaps between R2P’s swift evolution on the normative side and the enduring problems on the operational side. The journey of the responsibility to protect framework for collective action commenced over a decade ago. In this chapter, I look at R2P’s normative progress during this period that culminated with two key developments in 2009, namely the UN Secretary-General’s report, “Implementing the Responsibility to Protect,” and the General Assembly’s plenary debate on R2P. I first provide a brief explanation of why norms matter, to introduce the discussion of R2P’s norm-building process. This exercise highlights the most important steps along the progressive route that propelled R2P’s status from an “idea” in the ICISS report to an emerging norm. I then discuss the stage R2P reached on its normative trajectory, and explain the factors that contributed to this progress. The last section of the chapter explores whether this normative development provides R2P with any legal force, that is, whether it brings R2P closer to a binding norm of international law. In line with this study’s focus on the contributions made by the responsibility to protect framework to the debate on humanitarian intervention, I refer in this context to R2P’s potential for the collective use of authorized force.
