The emphasis of Stephen Marks's work is on the interface of health and human rights, drawing on the disciplines of international law, international politics, international organizations, and international economics.
Professor Marks's recent research has focused on integrating human rights into sustainable human development; biotechnology and human rights; impunity for mass atrocities; terrorism and human rights; cultural rights; tobacco control; and human rights education. He has published recent books, articles or book chapters in each of these areas.
He recently co-edited a book on Development as a Human Right: Legal, Political and Economic Dimensions and a reader on Perspectives on Health and Human Rights, as well as editing Health and Human Rights: Basic International Documents, now in its second edition.
Professor Marks is currently collaborating with Prof. Mahal on a book on economic and human rights approaches to poverty prevention and reduction, based on a research project for UNICEF, and is overseeing research on the assessment of development partnership from the perspective of the right to development, as part of his work for the United Nations Human Rights Council. Among the research topics within that framework are access to affordable drugs in developing countries (Target 17 of the MDGs) and human rights aspects of international trade.
He directs Harvard Series on Health and Human Rights at Harvard University Press and co-directs the annual intensive summer course on health and human rights.
In his capacity as Senior Fellow at the University Committee on Human Rights Studies, he has developed a strategy for human rights learning in Harvard College in collaboration with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and is teaching two courses in the college as part of the expanded human rights curriculum.