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Politics

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Submitted By sher2290
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RESEARCH ESSAY
In what ways have Transnational Advocacy networks (TAN’s) altered the principles and practices of international relations?
Discuss in context of Child Labour in India
The past century, the century of transformation and changes, which transforms a map of the world. World politics not only alongside with states, many non- state actors work together to form a new world order. Since the World War II, we saw a series of uncertain modification to delimit world order (Pollis, 2000, p9). In this perspective, the human rights issue is widely contested notion emerge over time. Wider gap between access and resources has started super power rivalry. Under these circumstances International community come forward to form new social and cultural norms, which has raised new arguments against the notion and principals of International Relations (Polis, 2000, p9)
In this assessment we will explore briefly, how International Non-governmental organizations put their influence, while states are attached with realist principal of international Relations. Even if there are legitimate arguments, what barriers Transnational Civil society may face to achieve their goals and how reformed the principals and practices of international politics.
From the view point of International politics, we saw that realism occupies a complex place. In general, it’s a principal pattern in International politics (Synder, 2012, p.17). The key principal of this idea contains the small concept of “statism”. This stand point believes “state is the pre-eminent actor and all other actor on world politics are lesser significant” (Dunne & Schmidt, 2008, p.103). It means, the state is the final power which has ability and power that can create bodies of other actors.
Questions has arises in our minds that in above conditions, how NGO’s has achieved their goals while states has final power of authority. Analysing sikkink boomerangs pattern, which has demonstrated briefly, how TRANSNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY has faced problems respects to their campaigns. She explained that the State has the primary responsibility to supporter’s rights but actually they not played their primary role to comply with rights. Considering realism principal of International relations, governments denied to recognize rights to their rights. In that situation domestic and individuals often have no other option to get help within local ground. They may looking towards Transnational networks to raise their voice over own concerns or sometime appealing for their lives (sikkink reading week 1page 11). Furthermore she explained that when the links between states and its domestic actors are blocked, influence characteristic of networks may happen. In that stance local NGOs have no other options left and have to bypass their state and get assistance form International NGOs allies to put his pressure form out sides (page 13).
Following the boomerang pattern, TRANSNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY networks has adopted several approaches to gain influence and solve a problems. Accessing, information politics approach which helps to bind transnational civil society connections to get information quickly and effectively. John el.at has described that in information politics approach has uses their exchange of information are often are informal. They uses telephone calls, emails and fax communications, and uses the different forms of newsletters, brochures (jonh, p.558 http://http-server.carleton.ca/~jron/publications/infopolitics.pdf). To extend, sikkink also has explained more about information politics approach which supports Networks to unpin the problems, alert the print media and policy makers. She believe that information has provided by NGOs networks must be authentic and trustworthy. One human rights activist explained that it is human nature, and he can promote revolution by providing facts and figures (week 1,p18).
In relation to, child labour in India, during of commonwealth games 2010 which was held in India, amnesty India put his concern over child labour and human rights issues during games in Delhi. They tried to put his pressure by passing information to international bodies to stop labour rights abuses and violation of laws. It also issue statements with help of print media to raise their voice to International stage (press release http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/india-must-address-forced-evictions-and-other-human-rights-abuses-in-delhi-during-commonwealth-games). This explains how amnesty international become an example in between the transnational actors, publishing huge range of reports and press releases towards range of issues and his reporting causes the potential influence in many areas of human rights. Uses his information politics approach, Amnesty collaborate with many non-governmental international actor like UN and other bodies to stop violence and other issues (amnesty, 2015).
Amnesty international and other transnational civil society networks have use not only the above approach to bring change in human rights area. A number of approaches to bring a peaceful change with in the region of conflict. Symbolic politics is one another powerful source of approach which transnational civil society networks has adopted and implies. Advocates outlined concerns with the help of recognizing and delivering persuasive symbolic events, outcomes in the forms of growing networks. Sikkik believes that symbolic explanations is a part of process which civil society shaped more awareness broaden their popularity (sikkik,p20). In 2014, Noble peace prize was awarded to Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi for stand up against children rights in Pakistan and India. Kailash is the founder of save the children movements. He dedicated his life for protecting millions of children in India who are forceful to work in terrible conditions.
(https://www.amnesty.org.in/show/entry/malala-yousafzai-and-kailash-satyarthi-are-true-inspirations-for-standing-u)
Amnesty international has work along with Kailash NGOs to identify the child labour and child trafficking in India and raised his voice not only his own international platform also arguing the government to reconsider his policies against children rights. Adopting symbolic politics approach, Amnesty supports Kailash to raise his voice towards laying down laws against child labour and providing the quality of education to every children in the state. (http://www.freepressjournal.in/robust-means-needed-to-act-against-child-labour-amnesty/)
Analysing the above work done under the symbolic approach, we can see that framing child labour problems and providing substantial justifications which turns into progression of links. His local NGO partnership with International Civil society networks like Amnesty to provide powerful symbolic result.
Moving to another politics approach which also used to reform the principals and practices of international relations. Considering, boomerang pattern works there, where transnational civil society networks has not worked properly due to behaviour of states. Their lack of interest towards NGO’s working projects which they are running in society, state behaviours has changed ( TAN,skikki,p.93). Linked to above conditions were working power become so limited, Sikkik has believes that adopting the leverage politics approach towards targeting actors like governments or financial intuitions. In order to work on policy change, transnational civil society networks convince and put pressure with the help of more powerful actors. There are numbers of dominant actors which have mutual natural interest with states ( TAN,skikki,p.97). Regarding to child labour and human rights issues, Sikkik consider that material leverage politics is the best use of source which is normally to linked money and trade. In that stance, the human right issue have become more reachable because many powerful non-governmental financial intuitions follows human rights practices and procedures, they have authority to stop military or economic aid towards above issues.
Amnesty India collaborate with other human rights groups tried to increase pressure to developed countries. Using symbolic approach TRANSNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY networks provide information to aid countries to axe their aid assistance to developing countries. In recent decades, ongoing work against child labour work has been increased and a number of acts has been passed to protect children rights. However, when we examines Indian government role, which has signed many international agreements and responsible to enforces a number of national policies due to pressure of international community and TRANSNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY networks(http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/india969.pdf page 149-169). Governments adopts symbolic politics to ensure that they are delivering children rights appropriately. But the facts goes against to their claims, the Indian government is failed to enforce these laws and practices to general public, due to his national interest of economic growth these policies are limited to paper and very less implementation. Amnesty work alongside with many TRANSNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY networks, put his influence by using leverage approach to stop their national interest over basic labour rights of children (http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/india969.pdf page 118-147).

Another possible approach which may transnational civil society networks helps to change the norms and principals of international relations. sikkink accountability approach many NGOs include amnesty claims that they are spends a significant amount of energy to dealing with states and other actors to publically change their view point of issues (sikkink 97). Dealing with governments, consequences often comes Insignificant and conversational to change their perspective of work. Similarly, it doesn’t mean that transnational civil society networks have to stop working against the right of human being and not to make such statements which led the governments to accept publically the positions of local and TRANSNATIONAL CIVIL SOCIETY networks to their issues. Perhaps the best example of Amnesty India work by following Accountability politics approach to change their positions on child labour in India (http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/india969.pdf page 118-147). Furthermore, Amnesty alongside with many local and International networks issued many publication and releases statements to expose human rights the reality of space between their proposed laws and lack of their implementation. Amnesty accountability approach towards child labour rights in India helps to raise their concern and government would tried to protect labour rights which reduces to gap between discourse and exercise http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0602_030602_untouchables_2.html .
Protecting child labour right in India is become more challenges over time by time. It has never be ended or finished. National interest and economic development are the barriers of international relations principals which stop Transnational civil society networks to undermine the protection of child labour in India. Assessing different politics approach which amnesty has adopted to raise their voice against child labour. Perhaps, we saw that their work along with many Local and international NGOs to stop child labour in India. They also tried to ensure that their political approach towards rights led to successful implementation of laws which will not affect the principals and practices of international relations. No matter how much they succeed in their goals but their political approaches will changes the norms against children rights which would go a long way but it indications eliminating child labour in India.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3425238/#ref4

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