Perspectives In International Economic Law

This book brings together a series of contributions by international legal scholars that explore a range of subjects and themes in the field of international economic law and global economic governance through a variety of methodological and theoretical lenses. It introduces the reader to a number of different ways of constructing and approaching the study of international economic law. The book deals with a series of different theoretical agendas and perspectives ranging from the more traditional (empirical legal studies) to the more alternative (language theory) and it expands the scope of substantive discussion and thematic coverage beyond the usual suspects of international trade, international investment and international finance. While the volume still gives due recognition to the traditional theoretical project of international economic law, it invites the reader to extend the scope of disciplinary imagination to other, less commonly acknowledged questions of global economic governance such as food security, monetary unions, and international economic coercion. In addition to historically-focused and critical perspectives, the volume also includes a number of programmatic and forward-looking explorations, which makes it appealing to a broad audience with a variety of contrasting interests. Therefore, the volume is of particular interest to academics and postgraduate students in the fields of international law, international relations, international political economy, and international history.

Economic activity, Professor Qureshi insists, is a visible manifestation of the human condition. The laws that regulate it and develop its norms must be deeply human. International economic law must be ever-vigilant in its efforts to represent the economic needs of all strata of humanity. It must not allow the cultural imperatives of any one group to predominate. To investigate the validity of this deeply-held conviction, in May 2001 Professor Qureshi and the University of Manchester School of Law brought together a conference of major IEL scholars to elicit as broad a diversity of perspectives as possible. This book, well-informed in its insight and far-reaching in its implications, grew out of that conference. Issues and topics that arise in the course of the investigation include: globalisation and its institutions; the survival of the nation-state; the role of the International Court of Justice; sustainable development; developing countries and dispute settlement; developing countries and trade negotiations; regional integration; human rights and the "untouchability" of IEL; and the gender bias of basic IEL institutions and rules. There are also clear presentations of specifically Marxist and Islamic perspectives, and an analysis along lines of "fairness" as developed by Thomas Franck and John Rawls. Perspectives in International Economic Law offers lawyers, economists, political scientists and policymakers a multifaceted, multidisciplinary approach to one of the most vitally important human endeavours of our time. While its immediate value and utility is apparent, the depth of clear thinking it evinces on every page will keep it current for many years to come.

This volume scrutinises the main challenges faced by States in their current international economic relations from an interdisciplinary perspective. It combines legal research with political and economic analysis and favours dialogue among scientific disciplines. Readers are offered a series of in-depth studies on a rich variety of topics: how to reconcile States’ interest to benefit from economic liberalization with their need to pursue social goals (such as the protection of human rights or of the environment); recent developments under WTO law and regional integration processes; international cooperation in the energy sector; national regulatory developments in the banking sector, sovereign wealth funds and investor-State arbitration.

This book assesses the past 20 years of development of international economic law in time for the WTO’s 20th Anniversary, and forecasts the future of international economic law. This edited volume brings together experts in the Asia-Pacific region, from a range of backgrounds, to provide perspectives on many issues that arise from the international economic law experience, focusing on its legal significance and likely impact on multilateralism. The past two decades have seen a significant proliferation of regional trade agreements and a lack of multilateral governance of finance around the world. How to respond to these challenges and how to reform the WTO jurisprudence and process to co-ordinate global and regional mechanisms have become compelling questions for large-scale discussions and systemic analysis. This book provides vital insights into just how to improve multilateral trading governance and to recalibrate international economic law in the twenty-first century.

Examining the law, regulation and governance of natural resources, this timely work addresses the conflicts and contradictions arising at the intersection between international economic law, sustainable development and other areas of international law, most notably human rights law and environmental law. Bringing together a collection of legal and policy expertise from a range of academic and practitioner perspectives, this book will appeal to scholars of law, political science, international relations, political economy and development studies.

The fairness of institutions of global economic governance ranks among the most pressing issues of our time.

This timely book explores the complexities of the EU’s international economic relations in the context of its commitment to the rule of law both within the Union and internationally. Bringing together diverse perspectives from both EU and international law scholars and practitioners, the book investigates some of the most controversial and lively issues in the field of EU external relations and the relationship between EU law and international law.