This article uses snapshots, rather than the ongoing flows of diffusion/contestation typically emphasised by constructivists, to explore the exercise of power through normative change. Its case is a high-profile Human Rights Council initiative: the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). These UNGPs have successfully presented meanings as fixed, while actually stretching those meanings' boundaries. They re-conceptualise what it means to 'respect' and 'protect' human rights. This is surprising given that the Principles were framed as a conservative exercise at clarification; and under-noticed, due to the legal rather than conceptual focus of the existing critical literature. According to the UNGPs, to respect human rights, agents need to take costly positive action. Furthermore, 'protect' obligations come before 'respect'. These are significant innovations. On the other hand, two missed opportunities of the UNGPs are their thin harm-based foundation for respect obligations, and their state-centrism about who has duties to protect.

中文翻译：

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修复全球治理中的意义？

本文使用快照，而不是建构主义者通常强调的持续传播/争论，来探索通过规范变化来行使权力。它的案例是一项备受瞩目的人权理事会倡议：联合国商业与人权指导原则 (UNGPs)。这些 UNGP 成功地将含义呈现为固定的，同时实际上扩展了这些含义的界限。他们重新定义了“尊重”和“保护”人权的含义。考虑到这些原则被认为是一种保守的澄清做法，这令人惊讶；由于现有批评文献的重点是法律而不是概念，因此未被重视。根据 UNGP 的说法，为了尊重人权，代理人需要采取代价高昂的积极行动。此外，“保护” 义务先于“尊重”。这些都是重大创新。另一方面，UNGPs 错失的两个机会是，他们对尊重义务的基于伤害的薄弱基础，以及他们关于谁有义务保护的国家中心主义。