Spectacular and systematic human rights abuse in Mexico

Abstract

This paper serves as an introduction to the special issue on Human Rights. It starts with a general introduction to the concept and logic of human rights, as well as a framework for understanding the different types of law and international norms that are often referred to in discussions on Human Rights. The central part of the text discusses systemic or structural human rights abuses, which are often less visible than ‘spectacular’ events. The article goes on to explore why certain rights (for example economic rights) are harder to politicize as explicit human rights issues, giving consideration to both the institutional landscape, the social position of the affected social groups and the rights themselves. It concludes by stressing the importance of framing all human rights abuse as human rights abuse, which requires sustained research attention for systemic problems of vulnerable groups.