ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book orders to facilitate analysis, it distinguish between three general strategies employed by "sender" states or organisations for promoting human rights in "target" states: Ostracism, Business as Usual, and Principled Engagement. Business as Usual marks the opposite end of the spectrum of human rights policies. Principled Engagement spans the middle ground between Ostracism and Business as Usual, combining normative pressure with positive support to effect incremental governance reform. While Ostracism limits international exchanges with the target country and Business as Usual normalises them, Principled Engagement seeks to actively harness such exchanges to promote "just" or rights-abiding governance. Ultimately, the three approaches reflect fundamentally different perceptions of the role of international actors and their importance to national human rights progress. Richard Horsey, formerly with the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Myanmar, provides a project-level perspective on the dynamics of Principled Engagement.
