Michael O'Flaherty is Professor of Applied Human Rights and Co-Director of the Human Rights Law Centre, University of Nottingham, UK. He is a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee and former Head of UN Human Rights programmes in Bosnia and Sierra Leone. Dr George Ulrich is, since 2003, Secretary-General of the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation, where he served previously for three years as the Academic Coordinator and Acting Programme Director of the E.MA programme. He has published widely on issues of ethics and human rights, and lectured throughout Europe and Africa.

The important and groundbreaking volume, The Professional Identity of the Human Rights Field Officer, completes the study of human rights field work begun in the earlier The Human Rights Field Operation (2007: Ashgate). Building on the critique in the earlier volume, O'Flaherty, Ulrich and their fellow contributors focus on the specific responsibilities of the individual human rights officer, and concentrate on vital issues of professionalism beyond the confines of any specific organization.

Notes on Contributors, Introduction, 1 The Professional Identity and Development of Human Rights Field Workers, 2 The Guiding Principles for Human Rights Field Officers Working in Conflict and Post-Conflict Environments: A Commentary, 3 The Statement of Ethical Commitments of Human Rights Professionals: A Commentary, 4 A Fresh View on Protection: The Human Rights Field Officer's Perspective, 5 New Models for Human Rights Capacity Building in the Field: Human Rights Field Officers and Relief and Development Professionals, 6 Human Rights Field Officers Working for the Most Vulnerable: Internally Displaced Persons, 7 Human Rights Field Officers Working for the Most Vulnerable: Children, 8 Human Rights Field Officers Working for the Most Vulnerable: Women, 9 Emerging Issues for Human Rights Field Officers: Monitoring Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 10 Emerging Issues for Human Rights Field Officers: Responses to Terrorism, 11 Emerging Issues for Human Rights Field Officers: Support for Criminal Justice, 12 Emerging Issues for Human Rights Field Officers: Freedom of Expression, Opportunities and Challenges, Annex: The Proceedings of the Project , 'Consolidating the Profession: The Human Rights Field Officer', Bibliography, Index