ABSTRACT

This contribution attempts to introduce the business and human rights (BHR) discussion to a business and peace audience and to explore some themes and research areas of common interest. BHR and business and peace are closely aligned; while they are not the same, there is considerable overlap between the two research fields. Conflicts of all nature affect human rights in various ways; furthermore, where human rights are protected, the propensity of conflict is reduced. After providing a brief overview of the BHR discussion, we will conceptualize corporate human rights responsibility as a political responsibility of companies and explore three research areas, which are connected to such an understanding of BHR in more detail. These explorations will set the ground to adopt a BHR perspective on business and peace in the remainder of the contribution. After clarifying the relation between the two fields more generally and in particular with a view on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, we will engage with two particular areas of research at the intersection of the two fields in some more detail – one looking into the past and one ahead, into the future.