Kathryn A. Sikkink (born 1955) is an American author,

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

academic, and scholar of international relations working primarily through the theoretical strain of constructivism. She is currently a professor at Harvard Kennedy School.

Academic career

Sikkink started her studies at the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

studying International Relations. She graduated in 1980 summa cum laude. She went on to receive her master's in political science, international relations from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

in 1983. Sikkink briefly studied at the Institute for Latin American and Iberian Studies at Columbia University in 1984 where she earned a Certificate of Latin American and Iberian Studies. Staying at Columbia, she earned her Ph.D. in political science, international relations with distinction. Prior to her career at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, Sikkink previously served as a Regents Professor and the McKnight Presidential Chair of Political Science at the

. Currently she is the Ryan Family Professor of Human Rights Policy and the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at the John F. Kennedy School of Government,

. Sikkink studies international norms and institutions, transnational advocacy networks, the impact of human rights law and policies, and transitional justice. In 2008, she received a

Guggenheim Fellowship Guggenheim Fellowships are Grant (money), grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon Guggenheim, Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon indiv ...

. In 2012, she won the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award for her book on international human rights titled ''The Justice Cascade'', which discusses the origins and effects of human rights trials on geopolitics and global justice. She was elected to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

in 2013. She is also the recipient of the Grawemeyer World Order Award for her book (with Margaret Keck) ''Activists Beyond Borders'' (1998). In 2017, Sikkink released the essay ''Evidence for Hope: Making Human Rights Work in the 21st Century'', where she states that human rights institutions have been successful in their goals, despite their flaws and limitations, and will continue to deliver in the next years. Mark Goodale,
What Are Human Rights Good For?
''Boston Review'', July 19, 2018.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sikkink, Kathryn University of Minnesota faculty Living people 1955 births Radcliffe fellows Columbia University alumni Members of the American Philosophical Society University of Minnesota alumni Harvard Kennedy School faculty