ABSTRACT
This chapter exposes the paradox of “success in failure” and lays out the practical challenge for human rights theorists and advocates of framing economic development policy inclusively in the face of growing economic nationalism, populism, isolationism, and erosion of social welfare guarantees. For social movement actors, such as those central to this chapter, moving beyond a solely defensive strategy is key to shoring up the continued relevance of human rights discourse in politically and economically challenging times. The authors develop this argument through a case study of one of the longest-running episodes of social movement activism on economic rights in the world, namely India’s “Right to Food” social movement. While high profile, this social movement is but one of many that are defending the right of access to things integral to ensuring a life with human dignity around the world—from food to shelter, water, sanitation, and healthcare. These activists’ efforts to challenge how development policy is designed and implemented have helped reshape our understanding of social movement theory, demonstrating the ongoing relevance of human rights in often counter-intuitive ways.
