Human Right Studies – serie

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the way that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) define their roles within multilateral institutions, both at the global level and, more specifically, within the European Union framework. The author argues that the use of conceptual categories such as global civil society and global governance is necessary to explain what is currently happening in the international political system in this era of globalisation.The argument is built on the premise that CSOs are significant actors for democratic change in the architecture of world politics, standing out for their capacity to aggregate a varied range of political demands, particularly in waging high-level political/legal campaigns within more closely structured networks and in autonomous forums during major United Nations conferences. On a worldwide level, CSOs are gaining recognition for their political impact, above and beyond formal consultative status.This book shows that the European Union, as a laboratory of innovative multi-level governance, offers many opportunities for CSOs participation, recognising them as an important part of the democratic process.

The crisis of democracy in Europe and the inability of the political parties and élites to adequately meet the challenges of globalisation exposes the increasingly fragmented middle classes to the temptations of Euroscepticism, and, in some cases, xenophobia. This appears to be a portrait of contemporary reality, but the current crisis has deep roots. The Spanish thinker José Ortega y Gasset described the pathologies of the mass man and of the nascent democratic system as far back as the beginning of the twentieth century, in a significant text entitled Una democracia morbosa, which appears to foreshadow the present state of affairs. The crisis of the average man, the degradation and devaluation of culture appear to be the distinctive traits of the new, post-ideological democracy of our times, known as «audience democracy». The political parties, faced with this profound crisis, in some cases seek dangerous shortcuts through demagogic and rhetorical use of the term «people», while the charismatic figure of the leader gains in prestige as a reference model. Resentment, caused by lack of representation of the just demands of the citizens, can turn to anger and destabilise the institutions of democracy. There is therefore an urgent need for an inclusive Europe with a renewed welfare system, based around the citizenry and not the masses.

The Italian Yearbook of Human Rights 2015 provides a dynamic and up-to-date overview of the measures Italy has taken to adapt its legislation and policies to international human rights law and to comply with commitments voluntarily assumed by the Italian Government at the international level.The 2015 Yearbook surveys the activities of the relevant national and local Italian actors, including governmental bodies, civil society organisations and universities. It also presents reports and recommendations that have been addressed to Italy in 2014 by international monitoring bodies within the framework of the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the European Union. Finally, the Yearbook provides a selection of international and national case-law that casts light on Italy’s position vis-à-vis internationally recognised human rights.«Italy and Human Rights in 2014: the Challenge of National/International Constitutional Synergism» is the focus of the introductory section of the Yearbook. The complex network of monitoring actions carried out by the supranational bodies, and the relative reporting requirements Italy must meet, can only be viewed in the context of reciprocal exchange and strengthening between the provisions enshrined in the national Constitution and international human rights law.The Italian Agenda of Human Rights 2015 represents an updated orientation tool intended to support the commitment taken by the Italian Government in the framework of the second Universal Periodic Review (October 2014) before the UN Human Rights Council.