City diplomacy and human rights : a multidisciplinary analysis

Abstract

To deal with the challenges posed by globalization a strong and effective structure of global governance is needed. This thesis supports the idea that local governments are more adequate than states to cover the role of main actors in such a structure. In situations such as those that humanity is experiencing nowadays – economic recessions, pandemics, climate change and migrations– it is the population that always pays the highest price and democracy is put into question as a result. Discussing city diplomacy and glocalization, this thesis aims to show how cities are able to go beyond national interests, linking their local dimension to the global one and providing a closer and more democratic relationship with their citizens. The research adopts an almost unexplored approach linking city diplomacy and the sphere of human rights. The multidisciplinary nature of the research is given by the study of legal frameworks concerning local governments at different levels and the analysis of city diplomacy in a political perspective. Moreover, the thesis deals with democratic theory, political philosophy, international human rights law and links all its arguments in a final case-study on the city of Berlin. Keywords: Berlin, city diplomacy, cosmopolitan democracy, environmental protection, global governance, glocalization, housing, human rights, local governments, right to the city