Why do some states resist entering into international treaty regimes while others demonstrate eagerness to participate? Although factors such as degree of pressure exerted by international actors, ambiguity in the treaty language and a regime's 'lack of teeth' (enforcement and sanctioning mechanism) do affect participation, this book investigates whether internal (domestic) factors may ultimately be responsible for influencing why a state resists or joins international treaty regimes. The volume draws on United Nations treaty ratification data from three different issue areas - arms control, environment and human rights - to study the participation patterns of democracies and non-democracies in international treaty regimes. Incorporating two in-depth case studies on the United States and China, the author traces the impact of domestic institutional structure, state capacity and internal social norms on state decisions to resist or participate.

EU law has developed a unique and complex system under which the Union and its Member States can both act under international law, separately, jointly or in parallel. International law was not set up to deal with such complex and hybrid arrangements, which raise questions under both international and EU law. This book assesses how EU law has been adapted to cope with the constraints of international law in situations in which the EU and its Member States act jointly in relations with other States and international organisations. In an innovative scholarly approach, reflecting this duality, each chapter is jointly written by a team of two authors. The various contributions offer new insights into the tension that continues to exist between EU and international law obligations in relation to the (joint) participation of the EU and its Member States in international agreements.

Research shows that all sectors of society, across age and racial groups, consider access to higher education as essential to achieving satisfying employment and a better quality of life. Yet there has been surprisingly little public discussion about recent major changes in higher education access and funding and no policy debate about how to respond to Americans’ growing aspirations about college.This book stimulates debate by presenting research about future demand: changing patterns of postsecondary participation and census projections over the next fifteen years, and their implications for resources and funding.The author disaggregates state data, taking into account states’ individual histories, size, age demographics, regional characteristics and priorities, to show the different policy options available. Rather advancing any particular policy, the author aims to stimulate an informed discussion about alternative strategies to meet demand and increase access. What is the college population likely to look like in 2015? What are the projected patterns for traditional and adult students? What factors will influence enrollment in private or public institutions, or two- or four-year colleges? The authors set their analyses in the context of the public and private benefits of higher education. This volume presents multiple scenarios of future enrollment, and state-by-state comparisons, that are vital for setting priorities and determining the implications of increasing access to higher education.