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Why sign rights treaties?

A new study finds that autocratic leaders who sign human-rights treaties do so for domestic political maneuvering rather than economic gains. The researchers analyzed four core treaties and found no evidence of tangible material rewards for ratification.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalInternational Studies Quarterly·DateOct 20, 2014

DALYs system for 'measuring' disability

The DALYs system, widely used to measure public health interventions' effects, fails to account for the complexities of disability. Critics argue that this approach undervalues the lives of disabled individuals, instead prioritizing those without disabilities.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateMay 10, 2007

Agents of mass destruction found in USA

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is a legally binding international treaty aimed at reducing tobacco use, but its adoption in the US is threatened by American exceptionalism. The FCTC covers tobacco taxation, smoking prevention and treatment, illicit trade, advertising, sponsorship and promotion, and product regulation.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateMay 8, 2003