Richard A. Falk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Falk
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| United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967 | |
| In office March 26, 2008 – May 8, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | John Dugard |
| Succeeded by | Makarim Wibisono |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Anderson Falk
November 13, 1930 New York City, New York, US |
| Spouse | Hilal Elver |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BSc) Yale University (LLB) Harvard University (SJD) |
| Profession | Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University |
Richard Anderson Falk (born November 13, 1930) is an American professor who taught about international law at Princeton University. He is now a professor emeritus, which means he has retired but still holds an honorary title. He also leads the Board of Trustees for the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor.
Richard Falk has written or helped write many books and articles. These often focus on international law and the work of the United Nations. In 2008, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) chose him for an important job. He became a United Nations Special Rapporteur for six years. His role was to report on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories that have been occupied since 1967.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Richard Falk was born into a Jewish family in New York City. He describes himself as "an American Jew." He has said that feeling a bit different might have made him question how the United States dealt with other countries later in his life.
Falk studied Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1952. After that, he went to Yale Law School and got his Bachelor of Laws degree. He then earned his highest law degree, a Doctorate in Law (SJD), from Harvard University in 1962. Early in his life, he was influenced by thinkers like Karl Marx. He became very interested in finding ways to stop wars and fighting between countries.
Career as a Professor
Falk started teaching at Ohio State University and Harvard in the late 1950s. In 1961, he moved to Princeton University. He taught there for over thirty years. In 1965, he became a special Professor of International Law. He still holds this title as an emeritus professor. In 1985, he received a special award called a Guggenheim Fellowship for his research. He stopped teaching full-time in 2001.
Since 2002, he has been a research professor at the Orfalea Center for Global & International Studies. This center is part of the University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2013, he was leading a project about global climate change, human safety, and democracy.
Falk believes that countries should work together more. He thinks that international groups should help control when countries use force. He has written many books and essays about international law. He also looked at whether certain military actions were allowed under international rules. For example, he wrote about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He felt that it broke international rules against starting wars.
Working for Change
Falk started getting involved in politics while at Ohio State University in the 1960s. He saw unfair treatment of Black students there. When he moved to Princeton, he could combine his knowledge of international law with his beliefs about what is right. Falk wanted to mix his academic work with helping make changes in the world. He called himself a "citizen-pilgrim."
He believed it was important to find ways for good social movements to succeed. These include movements against slavery, unfair treatment, and discrimination. His main goal was to help create a movement to stop war and fighting between countries. This would mean building a new world where everyone's basic needs are met. It would also protect the environment and human rights.
Past Activities
Falk was once on the advisory board for groups like the World Federalist Institute. These groups work towards better global cooperation. He also served on a local committee for Human Rights Watch (HRW) in Santa Barbara, California. In 2012, he was asked to leave the local HRW committee. This happened because his work for the United Nations was different from HRW's rules. Many human rights groups supported Falk. HRW later clarified that he was not "expelled" but asked to resign due to their long-standing policy.
Roles at the United Nations
UN Human Rights Inquiry Commission
In 2001, Richard Falk was part of a special group for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). This group looked into human rights in the Palestinian territories. He worked with John Dugard and Kamal Hussein. Falk said they focused on two main questions. First, whether Palestinians had a right to resist under occupation. Second, how Israel was protecting the people under its control. After their investigation, the group wrote a report about human rights in the occupied Arab territories.
Special Reporter on Human Rights in Palestinian Territories
On March 26, 2008, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) chose Falk for an important role. He became a United Nations Special Rapporteur for six years. His job was to report on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. He took over from John Dugard. Falk's time in this role ended in May 2014.
Personal Life
Richard Falk is married to Hilal Elver.
See also
In Spanish: Richard A. Falk para niños
