Research Article

From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation

Volume: 21 Number: 1 April 27, 2026
TR EN

From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation

Abstract

This article examines the transformation from humanitarian intervention to the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) by analyzing its normative evolution, political selectivity and persistent implementation crisis. It addresses the following central research question: Does R2P constitute a genuine normative advancement in international law or does it merely reproduce the structural dilemmas of humanitarian intervention under a new terminology? Drawing on an analytical and interpretive approach, the study integrates theoretical debates with a comparative assessment of three key cases - Kosovo (1999), Libya (2011) and Syria (2011- ). The article first explores the conceptual and legal foundations of humanitarian intervention, then evaluates how R2P was institutionalized through the 2001 International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) Report, the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document, UN Secretary-General reports and relevant Security Council resolutions. The empirical analysis demonstrates that Kosovo served as the moral catalyst of the R2P debate, Libya represented its first formal application but simultaneously triggered a legitimacy crisis due to the shift toward regime change and Syria constituted the most visible failure of the doctrine, revealing the paralyzing effects of geopolitical rivalries and Security Council vetoes. The findings suggest that while R2P redefined sovereignty through the lens of responsibility and sought to reconcile human rights protection with international peace and security, its implementation has remained highly selective and politically instrumentalized. The article concludes that R2P represents a partially realized normative project whose effectiveness is constrained by power politics and institutional asymmetries. Strengthening the future of the doctrine requires restoring the balance between legitimacy and effectiveness and ensuring that humanitarian imperatives are not overshadowed by strategic interests.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The author has not declared any conflict of interest or shared interest.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, Public International Law

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

April 27, 2026

Submission Date

December 18, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 25, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 21 Number: 1

APA
Çeliköz, B. (2026). From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation. Erciyes Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 21(1), 473-506. https://doi.org/10.58820/eruhfd.1843977
AMA
1.Çeliköz B. From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation. ERUHFD. 2026;21(1):473-506. doi:10.58820/eruhfd.1843977
Chicago
Çeliköz, Büşra. 2026. “From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation”. Erciyes Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi 21 (1): 473-506. https://doi.org/10.58820/eruhfd.1843977.
EndNote
Çeliköz B (April 1, 2026) From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation. Erciyes Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi 21 1 473–506.
IEEE
[1]B. Çeliköz, “From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation”, ERUHFD, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 473–506, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.58820/eruhfd.1843977.
ISNAD
Çeliköz, Büşra. “From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation”. Erciyes Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi 21/1 (April 1, 2026): 473-506. https://doi.org/10.58820/eruhfd.1843977.
JAMA
1.Çeliköz B. From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation. ERUHFD. 2026;21:473–506.
MLA
Çeliköz, Büşra. “From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation”. Erciyes Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 21, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 473-06, doi:10.58820/eruhfd.1843977.
Vancouver
1.Büşra Çeliköz. From Humanitarian Intervention to the Responsibility to Protect: Normative Evolution, Political Selectivity and The Crisis of Implementation. ERUHFD. 2026 Apr. 1;21(1):473-506. doi:10.58820/eruhfd.1843977

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