Humanizing Militarism: Amnesty International And The Tactical Polyvalence Of Human Rights Discourses

Transcript

In the lead-up to the Chicago NATO summit in May 2012, Amnesty International USA found itself embroiled in a controversy that burst and ricocheted across social media like a cluster bomb. As NATO leaders and anti-war protestors prepared to converge on Chicago, the city’s bus shelters displayed striking posters of Afghan women shielding young children in the draping fabric of their burqas. The headline of the poster, ‘Human Rights for Women and Girls in Afghanistan’ was what one would expect from a human rights organisation. The controversy arose from the bold message addressed to the US dominated military alliance: “NATO: Keep the Progress Going!”