International Law and International Relations

Abstract

Events such as the legal arguments surrounding the 2003 Iraq War and the creation of the International Criminal Court highlight the significance of international law in the contemporary world. This new textbook provides an introduction to the relationship between international law and international relations. David Armstrong, Theo Farrell and Hélène Lambert explore the evolution, nature and function of international law in world politics and situate international law in its historical and political context. They propose three interdisciplinary 'lenses' through which to view the role of international law in world politics: realist, liberal and constructivist. These lenses offer different ways of looking at international law in terms of what it is, how it works and how it changes. Topics covered include the use of force, human rights, international crimes, international trade and the environment, and each chapter features discussion questions and guides to further reading.

The EU as a Global Actor: Grand Strategy for a Global Grand Bargain?

“…First, the world has now enjoyed almost 65 years of multilateral institutionalism and the progressive accumulation of a corpus of international law which has sought – with marked success – to regulate relations between states existing under anarchy (Joyner, 2005; Armstrong et al ., 2007). The EU has blazed that trail as effectively as (if not more effectively than) any other actor.…”

Comparative regional protection frameworks for refugees: norms and norm entrepreneurs

“…Finally, constructivists see international law as a discourse of identity representation and norm enactment. 3 In this section I compare the norms of refugee protection that have evolved in three regions: the EU, Latin America and the SEA region. For this purpose I place myself within the constructivist paradigm as described in the above quote.…”

Nuclear diplomacy as niche diplomacy: South Africa's post-apartheid relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency

“…Moreover, norms often constitute a state's identity and interests. 12 A state's consistent compliance with internationally accepted norms contributes to its predictability, trustworthiness, credibility, status and prestige. Voluntary observance of norms serves a state's long-term interests, as states derive benefits from the stability and predictability of the international order.…”