Human Rights and Economic Relations

The publication arises from the 5^th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights, held in Osaka, Japan, from 21^st to 22^nd September 2002, Bangkok, Thailand, from 22^nd to 23^rd February 2003 and Lund, Sweden, from 16^th to 17^th May 2003. Articles focus on two major topics:

1. Human Rights and Multinational Companies: Papers deal with the concepts of “corporate social responsibility” towards their employees and shareholders (corporate social responsibility and corporate accountability) and that of “stakeholders” in companies. Are Human Rights an unavoidable corporate concern?

1. Human Rights and Foreign Direct Investment: Articles address the ambivalence of the role played by Foreign Direct Investment, in terms of contribution to development and the improvement of living standards in host countries.

Readership: graduates, academics, researchers interested in the relationship between human rights, business and international economics, governmental officals and policy-makers.