Alex Arevalo

Joowon Yi

INTL 4240

23 October 2023

Case Selection

The research question that I will be exploring and attempting to answer is the following:

what is the effectiveness of states in respecting and protecting human rights, specifically against

gender-based crimes, during times of conflict? Within this question, the unit of observation

involves the actions of states, thus providing a large range of options including the United States,

China, Russia, Israel, and so many more. More specifically, I will be observing the governments

of selected states and their abilities to generate effective human rights policies, while also

examining how these policies are applied during times of conflict. Some more topics that stem

from this concept include when states adhere or withdraw from international human rights

treaties like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and more.

Rather than focusing solely on one or two states and their history of respecting human

rights, I will be examining global events like the current wars in Ukraine and Israel, as well as

events in Iraq and Abu Ghraib to examine how a state’s government and internal functionings (as

well as external pressures) interact with their adherence to international human rights treaties and

domestic human rights laws, as well as how that translates into action or inaction during times of

conflict in protecting individuals from gender-based crimes and sexual violence at the hands of

opposing transgressors.

This is a broad topic, and that is somewhat intentional. In a study that uses a small

number of cases or observations in a case study, it assumes that there is a level of generalization
throughout all countries in the world. Therefore, by examining several states with drastically

different ideals and governments, it allows for more of a controlled comparison, as well as the

ability to generate a real understanding of the interaction of these states and real-world events

and processes. This case selection is moreso of a typical case than a deviant one. There is

certainly existing research on this topic, however I seek to compile new information to gain a

better understanding of the internal causal mechanisms at work within each state. This would

also involve a discussion on the levels of compliance and preference shifts as an impact of the

unique conflict that the states find themselves in.