The Power and Purpose of International Law


Book Description

The world is poised for another important transition. The United States is dealing with the impact of the Afghan and Iraq wars, the use of torture and secret detention, Guantanamo, climate change, nuclear proliferation, weakened international institutions, and other issues related directly or indirectly to international law. The world needs an accurate account of the important role of international law and The Power and Purpose of International Law seeks to provide it. Mary Ellen O'Connell explains the purpose of international law and the power it has to achieve that purpose. International law supports order in the world and the attainment of humanity's fundamental goals of peace, prosperity, respect for human rights, and protection of the natural environment. These goals can best be realized through international law, which uniquely has the capacity to bind even a superpower of the world. By exploring the roots and history of international law, and by looking at specific events in the history of international law, this book demonstrates the why and the how of international law and its enforcement. It directly confronts the notion that international law is "powerless" and that working within the framework of international law is useless or counter-productive. As the world moves forward, it is critical that both leaders and their citizens understand the true power and purpose of international law and this book creates a valuable resource for them to aid their understanding. It uses a clear, compelling style to convey topical, informative and cutting-edge information to the reader.




Understanding International Law


Book Description

This clearly written Understanding treatise is designed to explain what international law is, why it exists, and the basic subjects it covers. The law of treaties is given particular attention, chiefly because of the increasing importance of the treaty in international life. The number of treaties has mushroomed since the Second World War and many of these agreements include over 100 states as parties. Because of their number and the breadth of their coverage, treaties are thus the main form of international legislation. But since they are also contractual in character, and since many multilateral treaties allow states to place conditions on their acceptance of them, the law governing treaties is necessarily more complex than if they were the exact equivalent of national legislation. Understanding International Law also provides introductory coverage of topics of current relevance, such as terrorism, international criminal law, use and applicability of international law in United States courts, and the law governing the use of military force.




International Law Legal Research


Book Description

This concise yet comprehensive book is designed to be accessible for the beginner as well as useful for those with more experience. For students, the book can serve as enrichment for a doctrinal course in international law or as the basis for a stand-alone course in international law research. To allow for self-evaluation, the book includes frequent review questions to help assure retention. For practitioners new to the international area, each type of search tool and search strategy is covered in detail with explanations to provide background comprehension. This book is part of the International Legal Research Series, edited by Mark E. Wojcik, The John Marshall Law School. "[T]his new text is essential even if it cannot record every new database development. In fact, the best format for a text such as this one is indeed print. This title is not a brief "one off" taste of the subject but rather a comprehensive, detailed treatment. The quality of the content will stand the test of time. ...The text provides an excellent framework for new students to learn international legal research and for more seasoned legal researchers to hone their skills or fill gaps where necessary. ...The reader will want to pay special attention to Lyonette Louis-Jacques' Additional Resources and General Bibliographic References at the conclusion of each chapter. Her concise lists of sources should be part of every international legal researcher's toolkit. ...Most valuable of all, this text will give students the necessary context to understand what they are researching and why. This context is all too often lost in today's world of instant information." -- Anne Abramson, International Law Prof Blog "Given the increasing importance of public international law to U.S. legal practice, I also believe this book to be of great value to all law librarians (and at $35 I recommend every law librarian purchase a desk copy), especially the new breed of entry-level FCIL librarians who yearn for a training manual. No doubt I will read and reread this text until its dog-eared pages fall apart in my hands...I am now also indebted to Winer, Archer, and Louis-Jacques for helping me contextualize my growing knowledge of research sources and methods by connecting them to the historical evolution of international law. International Law Legal Research is particularly good at explaining treaties and customary international law and the related research processes in a useful and memorable way...The purpose of this book is to support those who need to complete public international law research for moot court, for scholarly research, or to handle a client's legal problem, and it is an excellent resource for those situations. As the first volume in the Carolina Academic Press International Legal Research Series, it sets a high bar for clarity, brevity, and utility. I am excited to see what other offerings may follow." --Catherine A. Deane, Foreign and International Law Librarian and Lecturer in Law, Vanderbilt Law School




Economic Sanctions in International Law and Practice


Book Description

Providing perspectives from a range of experts, including international lawyers, political scientists, and practitioners, this book assesses current theory and practice of economic sanctions, discussing current legal and political challenges faced by the international community. It examines both the implementation of sanctions by major powers – the United States, the European Union, and Japan – as well as assessing the impact of those sanctions through case studies of Russia, Iran, Syria, and North Korea. Balancing theoretical analysis of legal considerations with national and regional level empirical analysis, it also includes coverage of sanctions issues by the UN Security Council and the EU, as well as the extraterritorial application of sanctions. A valuable reference for academics and practitioners, Economic Sanctions in International Law and Practice will be useful to those working in the fields of international law, diplomacy, and international political economy.




The Legal Practice in International Law And European Community Law


Book Description

This work offers a Spanish perspective on contemporary practice in international law and European Community law by genuine practitioners such as registrars, judges and magistrates serving on national and international courts, as well as advocates practicing in these courts, senior international officials, government advisers and academics. In five parts this book deals with the practice in international courts; practice in international organizations; the European Community practice and; Spanish practice in matters of public and private international law. The last part contains an article on evidence in international practice and a general overview for further research. The book offers a very useful insight in matters otherwise available in Spanish, such as the applications against Spain lodged with the European Court of Human Rights, a comparison between the Spanish Constitutional Court and the Court of Justice of the European Communities, public international law before Spanish domestic courts and the Spanish practice on investment treaties.




Public International Law


Book Description

The second edition of this concise and well-loved textbook has been enhanced and developed while continuing to offer a fresh and accessible approach to international law, providing students with a uniquely holistic understanding of the field. Starting with the legal principles that underpin each strand of international law, and putting this into a real-life context, this textbook builds an understanding of how the international legal system operates and where it is heading. It guides readers through the theoretical foundations and development of international law norms, while also explaining clearly how the law works in practice.




Private International Law and the Internet


Book Description

In this fresh and original approach to what is perhaps the most crucial current issue in private international law, Dan Svantesson examines how the Internet affects and is affected by the four fundamental questions: When should a lawsuit be entertained by the courts? Which states law should be applied? When should a court that can entertain a lawsuit decline to do so? And will a judgement rendered in one country be recognised in another? He identifies eleven characteristics of Internet communication that are relevant to these questions, and then proceeds with a detailed investigation of whether and to what extent these characteristics (or their closest analogues) have already been dealt with in legal issues arising from other forms of communication. Dr Svantesson’s approach focuses on several issues that have far-reaching consequences in the Internet context, including the following: cross-border defamation; cross-border business contracts; and cross-border consumer contracts; A wide survey of private international law solutions encompasses insightful analyses of relevant laws adopted in a variety of countries including Australia, England, Hong Kong, the United States, Germany, Sweden, and China as well as in international instruments. There is also a chapter on advances in geo-identification technology and its special value for legal practice. The book concludes with two model international conventions, one on cross-border defamation and one on cross-border contracts. Dr Svantesson's book brings together a wealth of research findings in the overlapping disciplines of law and technology that will be of particular utility to practitioners and academics working in this new and rapidly changing field. His thoughtful analysis of the interplay of the developing Internet and private international law will also be of great value, as will the tools he offers with which to anticipate the future. Private International Law and the Internet provides a remarkable stimulus to continue working towards globally acceptable rules on jurisdiction, applicable law, and recognition and enforcement of judgments for communication via the World Wide Web.




United States Practice in International Law: Volume 1, 1999-2001


Book Description

This survey draws upon the statements and actions of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the U.S. government. Topics include diplomatic and consular relations, jurisdiction and immunities, state responsibility and liability, international organizations, international economic law and human rights. Containing extracts from hard-to-find documents, generous citations to relevant sources, tables of cases and treaties, and a detailed index, this essential tool for researchers and practitioners is the first in a series of similar volumes.




Careers in International Law


Book Description

"This guide...[provides an overview of] starting an international legal practice - as a private practitioner, as in-house counsel, in the public sector, or working at an NGO. This Fifth Edition presents a broad lineup of diverse contributors, who share their experiences of how they transitioned into international legal practice. Fifteen authors detail their goals, their paths, and how their professional lives have evolved."--