Rethinking Good International Citizenship Through Global South Perspectives on the Responsibility to Protect

This chapter explores the inherent link between good international citizenship and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Conceptually framing R2P as an ethical norm, it critically addresses states’ and the international community’s responsibility to prevent and respond to mass atrocity crimes. The chapter examines R2P through the lens of Global South perspectives and practices, focusing on the debates on the norm within the United Nations General Assembly as well as global practical implementations in R2P-related situations. It highlights the endorsements and contestations of R2P within the Global South, addressing concerns over Western dominance, interventionism, and sovereignty. It also provides examples of regional approaches to R2P, such as in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, and underlines the contributions and challenges brought by the diversity of responses to mass atrocity crimes within the Global South. Finally, it concludes that diverse perspectives and practices of the Global South can contribute to a more inclusive and enriched understanding of good international citizenship. Yet, the political will of states and a shift away from realpolitik are necessary for R2P to be fully realized as an expression of ethical state conduct.