Carr Center for Human Rights Policy

Although not often publicized, the quest for self-determination has played a role in every major U.S. military intervention since the end of the Cold War, including the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Increasingly, the military’s role in such interventions has overlapped and sometimes clashed with that of human rights and humanitarian organizations. In an attempt to bridge the practical and philosophical divide between these communities, Harvard University’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy received support from the Corporation for an unprecedented series of meetings with top officials from both NGOs and human rights activists. The effort won praise from participants from both side and follow-up work continues in creating ongoing dialogues and producing publications that both explore these issues and attempt to develop urgently needed solutions that can be employed in regions across the globe.