A theoretical, historical and juridical exegesis of human dignity in international law over two centuries.

This book reflects on how the concept of human dignity, a central and classical concept in public international law, is used to protect the rights of particularly vulnerable sectors of contemporary society.

International lawyers have often been interested in the link between their discipline and the foundational issues of jurisprudential method, but little that is systematic has been written on this subject. In this book, an attempt is made to fill this gap by focusing on issues of concept-formation in legal science in general with a view to their application to the specific concerns of international law. In responding to these issues, the author argues that public international law seeks to establish and institutionalise a system of authoritative judgment whereby the conditions by which a community of states can co-exist and co-operate are ensured. A state, in turn, must be understood as ultimately deriving legitimacy from the pursuit of the human dignity of the community it governs, as well as the dignity of those human beings and states affected by its actions in international relations. This argument is in line with a long and now resurgent Kantian tradition in legal and political philosophy. The book shows how this approach is reflected in accepted paradigm cases of international law, such as the United Nations Charter. It then explains how this approach can provide insights into the theoretical foundations of these accepted paradigms, including our understanding of the sources of international law, international legal personality and the design of global institutions.

A survey of the regulation of human germline genome modification in eighteen countries and the emerging international standards.

This book explores the promise and limitations of international criminal law as a means of enforcing international human rights and humanitarian law. It analyses the principal crimes, such as genocide and crimes against humanity, and appraises the mechanisms developed to bring individuals to justice.

Written by some of the leading International Law scholars in the nation, International Law: Norms, Actors, Process: A Problem-Oriented Approach employs a unique problem-based approach to examining international issues. Using real-life case studies as teaching problems, the text explores the processes for making and applying international law, with an interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond mere doctrinal explanation. New to the Fifth Edition: An introduction to international law through the Julian Assange episode Presentation of state responsibility through the problem of cyber espionage and of the responsibility of international organizations through the problem of sexual assaults by UN peacekeepers Integration of new U.S. Supreme Court decisions on the Alien Tort Statute, jurisdiction, and other topics Analysis of the challenges that artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons pose to international humanitarian law Comprehensive treatment of the Paris Accord on Climate Change New cases and analysis on the role and legitimacy of international courts Professors and students will benefit from: Contemporary problems as a vehicle for learning international legal rules and processes Clear explanation of legal rules and institutions Interdisciplinary approach to international law with attention to the law’s relevance in global affairs Careful selection and editing of primary materials to produce a casebook of teachable dimensions Inclusion of maps, charts, and photographs Casebook website offering relevant texts and updates

Focused at the theoretical level, this volume seeks to clarify our understanding of various historical and contemporary concepts of human dignity. It examines the various meanings of the term ‘dignity’ before looking at the philosophical sources of dignity and both religious and secular attempts to provide a grounding for the notion. It also compares the merits and defects of older and newer concepts of dignity, including extensions of dignity to groups, animals, and machines.

Displacement caused by climate change is an area of growing concern. With current rises in sea levels and changes to the global climate, it is an issue of fundamental importance to the future of many parts of the world. This book critically examines whether States have obligations to protect people displaced by climate change under international refugee law, international human rights law, and the international law on statelessness. Drawing on field work undertaken in Bangladesh, India, and the Pacific island States of Kiribati and Tuvalu, it evaluates whether the phenomenon of 'climate change-induced displacement' is an empirically sound category for academic inquiry. It does so by examining the reasons why people move (or choose not to move); the extent to which climate change, as opposed to underlying socio-economic factors, provides a trigger for such movement; and whether traditional international responses, such as the conclusion of new treaties and the creation of new institutions, are appropriate solutions in this context. In this way, the book queries whether flight from habitat destruction should be viewed as another facet of traditional international protection or as a new challenge requiring more creative legal and policy responses. law, and the international law on statelessness. Drawing on

This index to the definitive reference work on international law contains detailed references to over 1,600 articles covering the full history and breadth of public international law, as well as other information to facilitate its use, such as tables and citation lists.