A conference for the project Religion and Human Rights Pragmatism. What causes persuasion, diffusion, and change of human rights norms and practices? What are the processes by which human rights norms change across cultures?  Does normative change happen through exposure to new ideas, by astute strategies of persuasion, by rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad, or as a result of deep social and economic changes that create a climate in which rights can thrive?

Panelists include Amitav Acharya (American University); Hossam Bahgat (Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights);Charli Carpenter (University of Massachusetts-Amherst); Emilie Hafner-Burton (University of California at San Diego); Daniel Goldstein (Rutgers University); Neil Hicks (Human Rights First); Samuel Moyn (Columbia University); Tsveta Petrova (Harriman Institute at Columbia University); Anupama Rao (Barnard College); James Ron (University of Minnesota); Kenneth Roth (Human Rights Watch); Kathryn Sikkink (University of Minnesota); and Alfred Stepan (Columbia University). This event is co-sponsored with the Center for the Study of Democracy, Toleration, and Religion (CDTR).