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Beyond the Heaven–Hell Binary and the One‐Way Traffic Paradigm: The European Union, Africa and Contested Human Rights in the Negotiations of the Samoa Agreement

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  • Maurizio Carbone

Abstract

This article, drawing on Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) and embracing the decentring agenda in European Union (EU) external relations, discusses the substance of human rights promotion in the negotiations of the Samoa Agreement. It documents how the EU has concentrated on civil and political rights, whereas Africa has advanced an innovative approach to economic, social and cultural rights underpinned by the right to development. More importantly, going beyond the ‘heaven–hell binary’, which draws neat lines between the good North and the bad South, and the ‘one‐way traffic paradigm’, which claims that human rights flow from the North to the South, it shows that the human rights corpus may be slowly evolving from its paradigmatic western orientation towards a truly universal project: the EU and Africa have started recognising each other as being holders of diverse yet legitimate perspectives on human rights.

Suggested Citation

  • Maurizio Carbone, 2024. "Beyond the Heaven–Hell Binary and the One‐Way Traffic Paradigm: The European Union, Africa and Contested Human Rights in the Negotiations of the Samoa Agreement," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(5), pages 1314-1331, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:62:y:2024:i:5:p:1314-1331
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13609
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maurizio Carbone, 2021. "There is life beyond the European Union: revisiting the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(10), pages 2451-2468, July.
    2. Sarah Wolff & David Gazsi & Daniela Huber & Nora Fisher‐Onar, 2022. "How to Reflexively Decentre EU Foreign Policy: Dissonance and Contrapuntal Reconstruction in Migration, Religious and Neighbourhood Governance," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(6), pages 1611-1628, November.
    3. Ian Manners, 2002. "Normative Power Europe: A Contradiction in Terms?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(2), pages 235-258, June.
    4. Stephan Keukeleire & Sharon Lecocq & Frédéric Volpi, 2021. "Decentring Norms in EU Relations with the Southern Neighbourhood," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 891-908, July.
    5. Gurminder K. Bhambra, 2022. "A Decolonial Project for Europe," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 229-244, March.
    6. Ueli Staeger, 2016. "Africa–EU Relations and Normative Power Europe: A Decolonial Pan‐African Critique," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 981-998, July.
    7. Anne Jenichen, 2022. "The Politics of Normative Power Europe: Norm Entrepreneurs and Contestation in the Making of EU External Human Rights Policy," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(5), pages 1299-1315, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gilbert Atuto Ang’ana*, 2025. "Re-Thinking Good Governance in Africa: The Strategic Role of Intra-Government Collaboration and Responsible Negotiation," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(4), pages 540-561, April.

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