History of human rights/history of UK NGO activism in Israel -Palestine conflict

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How have people's understanding of human rights been constructed in the UK? My project will examine human rights as a historically distinct phenomenon to understand how their meaning was constructed at specific historical moments (Hoffman). It examines the relationship between the late 20th century proliferation of human rights politics and the expanded role of the NGO at national and global levels (Hilton). The primary case study will assess Amnesty International's scrutiny and advocacy of rights abuses in Palestine. As one of the most recognised human rights NGOs, Amnesty has played a major role in increasing the prominence of rights discourse, whilst also shaping the public debate via the media (Eckel, Cmiel, Hopgood, Buchanan). The project seeks to understand how political, cultural and institutional considerations shaped NGO responses to rights violations in Palestine, examining changes in the dynamics of advocacy.This PhD will build on my MA dissertation research. I have visited the Amnesty archive in Warwick to investigate their scrutiny and advocacy around rights violations during the first Palestinian uprising of 1987-93. This has revealed documentation of wider rights abuse from the 1960s onwards, well beyond the MA's scope. My doctoral research will use this as a platform to consider Amnesty's varied deployment of imagery, engagement with alternative forms of rights abuse, digital technologies, and changing strategies to increase the salience of rights violations.