A Short Introduction To International Law

An accessible introduction to the latest developments in international law in the light of its history and culture.

Interest in international law has increased greatly over the past decade, largely because of its central place in discussions such as the Iraq War and Guantanamo, the World Trade Organisation, the anti-capitalist movement, the Kyoto Convention on climate change, and the apparent failure of the international system to deal with the situations in Palestine and Darfur, and the plights of refugees and illegal immigrants around the world. This Very Short Introduction explains what international law is, what its role in international society is, and how it operates. Vaughan Lowe examines what international law can and cannot do and what it is and what it isn't doing to make the world a better place. Focussing on the problems the world faces, Lowe uses terrorism, environmental change, poverty, and international violence to demonstrate the theories and practice of international law, and how the principles can be used for international co-operation.

Interest in international law has increased greatly over the past decade, largely because of its central place in discussions such as the Iraq War and Guantanamo, the World Trade Organisation, the anti-capitalist movement, the Kyoto Convention on climate change, and the apparent failure of the international system to deal with the situations in Palestine and Darfur, and the plights of refugees and illegal immigrants around the world. This Very Short Introduction explains what international law is, what its role in international society is, and how it operates. Vaughan Lowe examines what international law can and cannot do and what it is and what it isn't doing to make the world a better place. Focussing on the problems the world faces, Lowe uses terrorism, environmental change, poverty, and international violence to demonstrate the theories and practice of international law, and how the principles can be used for international co-operation.

"Although environmental laws are rarely able to provide the simple solutions that people want from them, they are essential for the future of our planet. This book explores how legal responses are shaped in response to the problems facing the environment today, and the socio-political conflicts facing environmental legislation."--Publisher's description.

This book in its entirety as well as in each of its parts is an outline of the problems under discussion. The subject matter of some eighty sections of the book is extensive; it could, indeed, be presented by ex perts in as many volumes. This study offers an attempt to formulate a synthesis, however difficult, of the vast amount of available material. Unlike the well-known standard Introductions to International Law which deal with all the major fields of international law, this book treats exclusively the present conceptions of that law as expressed in legal literature, international treaties and other agreements, inter national judgements and awards, governmental and diplomatic state ments and the like. Special attention is devoted, in several chapters of the book, to the "teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of the various nations" which are considered by Article 38 paragraph 1 (d) of the Statute of the International Court of Justice as "subsidiary means for the determination ofrules of law. " An endeavor is made to ascertain whether in certain fields of the theory of international law a "Communis opinio doctorum" has either been reached or is in the process of achievement. Some readers may consider that there are too many quotations from writings of publicists; others will certainly feel - as does this writer - that too many outstanding international lawyers have not been included.

Today it is usually not long before a problem gets expressed as a human rights issue. Indeed, human rights law continues to gain increasing attention internationally, and must move quickly in order to keep up with a social world that changes so rapidly. This Very Short Introduction, in its second edition, brings the issue of human rights up to date, considering the current controversies surrounding the movement. Discussing torture and arbitrary detention in the context of counter terrorism, Andrew Clapham also considers new challenges to human rights in the context of privacy, equality and the right to health. Looking at the philosophical justification for rights, the historical origins of human rights and how they are formed in law, Clapham explains what our human rights actually are, what they might be, and where the human rights movement is heading. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

International law in a policy-oriented perspective -- Nation-states -- International governmental organizations -- Nongovernmental organizations and associations -- The individual -- Minimum order and optimum order -- Establishment of and access to arenas of authority -- Control over territory -- Control and use of the sea -- Control and use of other resources -- Control of people : nationality and movement -- Protection of people : from alien rights to human rights -- Vertical allocation of authority -- Horizontal allocation of authority -- The diplomatic instrument -- International agreements -- The ideological instrument -- The economic instrument -- The military instrument -- The intelligence function -- The promoting function -- The prescribing (lawmaking) function -- The invoking function -- The applying function -- The terminating function -- The appraising function -- Succession of states -- Responsibility of states -- Individual criminal responsibility -- Toward a world community of human dignity.

A landmark publication in the teaching of international law from one of the world's leading international lawyers. This refreshingly clear, concise textbook conveys the dynamics of international law through four questions: Where does it come from? To whom does it apply? How does it resolve conflict? What does it say?