Van der Vyver, who joined the law school faculty in January as I.T. Cohen Professor of International Law and Human Rights, has been named fellow for human rights at The Carter Center. The combination is one that van der Vyver relishes.
"Evidently there are differences of emphasis at The Carter Center and Emory," he explained. "Whereas Emory is an academic institution, The Carter Center is more concerned with activism; in other words, The Carter Center wants to implement. These two facets of a particular problem are of course complementary, and therefore cooperation between the two institutions -- on the one hand to investigate a problem from an academic or scholarly perspective, and on the other hand seeking de facto implementation of one's academic findings -- is the best way to deal with the problems concerned."
A scholar in the field of religion and human rights and a leading proponent for constitutional and human rights reform in his native country of South Africa, van der Vyver taught law at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg before coming to Emory.
"Dr. van der Vyver joins us at a time when the center's Human Rights Program is working with our International Human Rights Council (IHRC) to find ways to renew and advance the cause of human rights worldwide," said former President Jimmy Carter.
In collaboration with program staff, van der Vyver will help shape projects to promote respect for basic human rights, prevent abuses and establish institutions to protect human rights in emerging democracies.
"We will continue to focus on issues such as the creation of an international human rights court and the status of economic and social rights in the international human rights arena," van der Vyver said. "Religious freedom also deserves special attention because religious differences have emerged as a source of political conflict in many parts of the world."