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Systems Thinking Framework

Human Rights, as a topic of inquiry and a social event, is a complex problem that cannot be solved through simple answers. Researchers, scholars, experts, and professionals, irrespective of their vocational training and areas of expertise, often engage with the question of human rights, because their, ultimately, touches on human rights. Unlikely other topics of human concern, where interest is driven by the need to directly and purposefully produced a desired outcome, our interest in human rights was driven by the need to prevent something from happening: human rights abuse. Because of this distinction, much work must be done not to identify the determinant system that produces human rights abuses, but the contributory systems that result in human rights abuses. This explains the varying interests in human rights across disciplines and vocations. For this and other reasons that are discussed on this platform, the systems thinking framework, or more accurately some Principles of the Systems Thinking Framework, presents itself as the most appropriate lens through which the production of knowledge on the subject of human rights.

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Systems Thinking Framework and the Discourse on Rights Read about it...

Recent Articles

  • A new paradigm for defining and promoting human rights 
    by Ema Paskevicius Although the concept of human rights suggests that every individual is entitled to certain basic human rights, how exactly are they upheld in various circumstances? The answers to these questions are often proposed by researchers, scholars, and professionals in various academic disciplines and professional areas of expertise. In this research note, we

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  • Sovereignty and Human Rights
    Sovereignty is a fundamental concept in international relations and law, defining the authority of a state to govern itself without external interference. However, in the modern era, sovereignty is increasingly discussed in relation to human rights. This article explores the concept of sovereignty in the context of human rights and its significance in ensuring—or hindering—the

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  • Applying the Systems Thinking Framework to Human Rights
    The Systems Thinking Framework is not a new approach to problem solving. It is, however, unknown or new to most researchers and scholars active in the broad areas of scholarly inquiry known as social sciences and the humanities. For scientists and researchers in physics and biological, engineering, and computer sciences however, systems thinking has been

    Read more

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More on Systems Thinking...

A new paradigm for defining and promoting human rights 

by Ema Paskevicius Although the concept of human rights suggests that every individual is entitled to certain basic human rights, how exactly are they upheld in various circumstances? The answers to these questions are often proposed by researchers, scholars, and professionals in various academic disciplines and professional areas of expertise. In this research note, we will consider whether there is an academic discipline of “human rights”, the meaning of “human rights”, and how the systems thinking framework could potentially bridge the gap between the various definitions of human rights proposed by scholars in various disciplines to advance the aims of human rights. Academic disciplines and human rights Academic discipline can be best defined as a distinct branch of knowledge that bases its main ideas on a particular area of study. Academic disciplines help us organize the vast range of human knowledge into certain categories, such as humanities, social sciences, and scientific disciplines. Humanities focuses on the study of human culture, which can include subcategories such as language, philosophy, literature, and art. In terms of their applications to human rights standards, philosophers, for example, may analyze and theorize concepts underlying human rights such as justice and equality. They may ask abstract questions that surround their fundamental principles such as – What are the moral obligations to adequately uphold human rights? How do human rights differ from a universal versus a cultural perspective? Philosophers tend to work on a more theoretical level, where they explore political ideologies, ethical guidelines, and legal frameworks and they may contribute their work through scholarly articles and books, rather than direct action and application. Their academic discipline may be explored through various concepts such as philosophy, history, and law. But, given that the humanitarian discipline is not just limited to philosophers, there are other professions that fall […]

Sovereignty and Human Rights

Sovereignty is a fundamental concept in international relations and law, defining the authority of a state to govern itself without external interference. However, in the modern era, sovereignty is increasingly discussed in relation to human rights. This article explores the concept of sovereignty in the context of human rights and its significance in ensuring—or hindering—the protection of fundamental rights. Sovereignty refers to the right and power of a governing body to regulate its own affairs without outside interference. Traditionally, sovereignty has been understood in two primary ways: (1) The authority of a state to govern itself, make laws, and enforce policies within its borders, and (2) The recognition of a state’s independence and autonomy by other states and international organizations. Historically, sovereignty was considered absolute, meaning that states had the unrestricted power to decide their internal matters without outside interference. However, with the rise of international law and globalization, the notion of sovereignty has evolved, particularly in relation to human rights. The expectation is that a sovereign state has the duty to protect the rights and freedoms of its citizens. Governments create laws, enforce justice, and establish institutions that uphold human rights, such as freedom of speech, equality before the law, the right to education, freedom from state-sanctioned or state-tolerated torture. The principle of sovereignty allows states to adopt and implement human rights frameworks that align with their social, cultural, and historical contexts. Moreover, sovereignty enables states to resist external forces that may threaten their citizens’ rights. For example, a strong sovereign government can protect its people from exploitation, foreign domination, or economic manipulation by other nations or entities. On the other hand, sovereignty is sometimes used as a justification for human rights violations. Some states argue that external actors have no right to interfere in their internal affairs, even […]

Applying the Systems Thinking Framework to Human Rights

The Systems Thinking Framework is not a new approach to problem solving. It is, however, unknown or new to most researchers and scholars active in the broad areas of scholarly inquiry known as social sciences and the humanities. For scientists and researchers in physics and biological, engineering, and computer sciences however, systems thinking has been used to successfully build a formidable body of knowledge solving some of the most difficult problems and explaining mysterious phenomena. Explaining systems thinking as it applies to human rights, a topic of interest to scholars in almost all academic and professional fields of study, and as it is applied by scholars of human rights is a challenging task, let alone convincing scholars to adopt it in their research and teaching. Notwithstanding all the above, given the complexity of the topic of human rights, systems thinking can be a compelling framework for explaining the forces behind some of the most egregious human rights abuses throughout history and across cultures. The degree of success in applying the framework to human rights largely depends on researchers’ ability to define the elements of the framework, for the definitions will greatly vary. Therefore, providing definitions of what is a “systems thinking framework” is a good place to start. At the core of the Systems Thinking Framework (STF) is the idea of “system”. To be sure, engaging with the concept of systems thinking requires a capacity to process many things at the same time including the meanings and functions of “system” and “systems thinking”. Systems thinking presupposes the existence of “system” as being the engine behind an event: if a thing happens, such a thing must be the outcome of a system. Here, the use of the word “system” requires a break with the generalized and specialized use of the term […]

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Articles, Documents, Essays, Reviews...

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  • What Systems Thinking Tells us about Climate Change, Poverty, and Human Rights May 14, 2025
    The overlapping crises of environmental degradation, global poverty, and human rights violations form a tangled web that cannot be addressed in isolation. Climate change, often discussed in terms of carbon emissions and temperature thresholds, is in reality a complex social and ecological phenomenon, rooted in patterns of consumption, political inertia, and economic inequality. Poverty, meanwhile, […]
    HUQUQ Research Team
  • Social Systems of Perennial Human Rights Abuses May 1, 2025
    Despite historical evidence—and inspired by the values embedded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)—some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and certain United Nations agencies have set the “eradication of poverty” as an achievable goal. Nearly three-quarters of a century after the world community adopted the UDHR, not only has poverty not been eradicated, but more […]
    Prof. Souaiaia
  • Human Acts: An Unflinching Meditation on Violence, Memory, and the Fragility of Humanity April 18, 2025
    In Human Acts, Nobel Laureate Han Kang offers a searing, poetic, and harrowing exploration of state violence and its brutal legacy. Drawing on the tragic events of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising in South Korea, Han constructs a deeply humane narrative that confronts the trauma and devastation inflicted by authoritarian regimes—and the emotional, moral, and existential […]
    Research Assistants
  • “Free Speech for Me, Not for Thee”: The Double Standard of Power April 9, 2025
    In contemporary political discourse, the concept of freedom of speech has become a powerful tool wielded by influential figures to navigate the complexities of public opinion, dissent, and accountability. Here, we examine how prominent actors, notably political leaders, like former and current US President Donald Trump, have employed the tenets of free speech to distance […]
    Research Assistants
  • Freedom of Speech and Its Limits April 6, 2025
    For decades, Western colonial nation-states have touted freedom of speech and freedom of expression as nearly absolute rights. When anti-Muslim offensive cartoons were published in Western tabloids, and Muslims reacted by labeling them as forms of hate and politicized speech, Western governments consistently dismissed these concerns. They argued that freedom of expression supersedes all other […]
    HUQUQ Research Team
  • Humanitarian Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: What the Pause on U.S. Foreign Aid Could Mean for the DRC April 4, 2025
    by Molly Lihs Abstract  This paper examines the impact of the U.S. foreign aid freeze and cuts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the worsening humanitarian crisis amid ongoing conflict involving the Congolese government, the March 23 Movement (M23), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), Rwanda, and other armed […]
    Molly Lihs
  • Tariffs and Human Rights April 4, 2025
    Generally, nowadays, a tariff is a tax imposed by a government on goods and services imported from other countries. Its primary purpose is to raise the cost of foreign products, making them less competitive compared to locally produced goods. Tariffs are a fundamental instrument in international trade policy and have been used historically both to […]
    Prof. Souaiaia
  • Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments March 23, 2025
    In “Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments,” Kenneth Roth, the former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), provides an introspective account of his nearly thirty-year tenure with the organization. Roth’s memoir not only serves as a chronicle of HRW’s evolution into a prominent force in the human rights arena […]
    HUQUQ Editors
  • Do the violations associated with the war in Gaza amount to a Genocide March 19, 2025
    by Amanda Nelson The term “Gaza genocide” refers to allegations and findings that Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. These allegations have been made by various United Nations bodies, human rights organizations, and experts. United Nations Findings: The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the […]
    HUQUQ Editors
  • The Perils of Individualism March 10, 2025
    How Rooting Human Rights in Individualism Fuels Supremacism and Atrocity by Demhas The modern conception of human rights is often rooted in individualism—placing the individual at the center of moral, political, and legal consideration. While individualism has undeniably contributed to personal freedoms and autonomy, an extreme focus on the individual can lead to dangerous distortions. […]
    HUQUQ Research Team