This book provides the first detailed history of the Constitution's treaty supremacy rule. It describes a process of invisible constitutional change. The traditional supremacy rule provided that all treaties supersede conflicting state laws; it precluded state governments from violating U.S. treaty obligations. Before 1945, treaty supremacy and self-execution were independent doctrines. Supremacy governed the relationship between treaties and state law. Self-execution governed the division of power over treaty implementation between Congress and the President. In 1945, the U.S. ratified the UN Charter, which obligates nations to promote human rights "for all without distinction as to race." In 1950, a California court applied the Charter's human rights provisions and the traditional treaty supremacy rule to invalidate a state law that discriminated against Japanese nationals. The implications were shocking: the decision implied that the United States had effectively abrogated Jim Crow laws throughout the South by ratifying the UN Charter. In response, conservatives mobilized support for a constitutional amendment, known as the Bricker Amendment, to abolish the treaty supremacy rule. The amendment never passed, but Bricker's supporters achieved their goals through de facto constitutional change. The de facto Bricker Amendment created a novel exception to the treaty supremacy rule for non-self-executing (NSE) treaties. The exception permits state governments to violate NSE treaties without authorization from the federal political branches. The death of treaty supremacy has significant implications for U.S. foreign policy and for U.S. compliance with its treaty obligations.

Why there should be a larger role for the judiciary in American foreign relations In the past several decades, there has been a growing chorus of voices contending that the Supreme Court and federal judiciary should stay out of foreign affairs and leave the field to Congress and the president. Challenging this idea, Restoring the Global Judiciary argues instead for a robust judicial role in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. With an innovative combination of constitutional history, international relations theory, and legal doctrine, Martin Flaherty demonstrates that the Supreme Court and federal judiciary have the power and duty to apply the law without deference to the other branches. Turning first to the founding of the nation, Flaherty shows that the Constitution’s original commitment to separation of powers was as strong in foreign as domestic matters, not least because the document shifted enormous authority to the new federal government. This initial conception eroded as the nation rose from fledgling state to superpower, fueling the growth of a dangerously formidable executive that today asserts near-plenary foreign affairs authority. Flaherty explores how modern international relations makes the commitment to balance among the branches of government all the more critical and he considers implications for modern controversies that the judiciary will continue to confront. At a time when executive and legislative actions in the name of U.S. foreign policy are only increasing, Restoring the Global Judiciary makes the case for a zealous judicial defense of fundamental rights involving global affairs.

What is the relationship between politics and international law? Inspired by comparative politics and socio-legal studies, this Research Handbook develops a novel framework for comparative analysis of politics and international law at different stages of governance and in different governance systems. It applies the framework in a wide range of fields—from human rights and environmental standards, to cyber conflict and intellectual property—to show how the relationship between politics and international law varies depending on the sites where it unfolds.

This book provides a comprehensive survey of the most significant issues in contemporary U.S. foreign relations law by leading contributors in the field. Reflecting on the recently published Fourth Restatement of the Foreign Relations Law, they review the context and assumptions on which that work relied, critique its analysis and conclusions, and explore topics left out that need research and development.

The Interpretation of International Law by Domestic Courts assesses the growing role of domestic courts in the interpretation of international law. It asks whether and if so to what extent domestic courts make use of the international rules of interpretation set forth in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Given the expectation that rules of international law are to have a uniform interpretation and application throughout the world, the practice of domestic courts is considerably more diverse. The contributions to this book analyse three key questions: first, whether international law requires a coherent interpretive approach by domestic courts. Second, whether a common or convergent methodological outlook can be found in domestic court practice. Third, whether a common interpretive approach is desirable from a normative perspective. The book identfies a considerable tension between international law's ambition for universal and uniform application and a plurality of different approaches. This tension between unity and diversity is analysed by a group of leading international lawyers from a wide range of geographical, disciplinary and methodological approaches. Drawing on domestic practice of number of jurisdictions including, among others, Colombia, France, Japan, India, Israel, Mexico, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States, the book puts the interpretative practice of domestic courts in a wider context. Its chapters offer doctrinal, practical as well as theoretical perspectives on a central question for international law.

International Human Rights: Problems of Law, Policy, and Practice, Seventh Edition by Hurst Hannum, S. James Anaya, Dinah Shelton, and Rosa Celorio is a student-friendly coursebook that surveys the foundational features and diverse components of the international human rights system, while highlighting human rights issues of pressing concern, including racial discrimination, violence against women, the struggles of indigenous peoples, armed conflicts, lack of access to healthcare and other basic necessities, environmental degradation, and climate change, among others. This coursebook introduces students to the established and developing international law on human rights. Its pages navigate a wide range of substantive norms; procedural rules; and national, regional, and global institutions whose mandate is to promote and monitor compliance with internationally-recognized human rights. The book discusses a range of contemporary human rights challenges, including racial discrimination; violence against women; the struggles of indigenous peoples; armed conflict; threats to free speech, social protest, the defense of human rights; lack of access to health care, and other basic necessities; and environmental degradation and climate change, among others. This book is artfully organized around the foundational features and diverse components of the international human rights system at both the global and regional levels. Distinct problems related to human rights are introduced to illustrate the real issues that face human rights lawyers and how those issues might be addressed through international (and domestic) processes involving internationally-recognized human rights norms. Balancing practical considerations and theory, this outstanding authorship team delivers a comprehensive text that examines historical underpinnings and contemporary considerations related to human rights efforts across the globe. New to the Seventh Edition: New or updated examination of a range of human rights issues, including racial discrimination and police violence; discrimination and violence against women and LGBTI persons; threats to indigenous peoples; undermining of rights of political participation; the human rights impacts of environmental degradation and climate change; human rights in the digital space; among others. Discussion of the formidable impacts on international law and human rights of the Russia-Ukraine conflict that began in early 2022. Exposition of new human rights treaties, declarations, and decisions of judicial and other human rights bodies. Discussion of new developments regarding human rights institutions and international procedures to advance human rights. Updates on United States case law on the judicial enforcement of international human rights norms. This edition of the book is substantially reduced in volume from prior editions, such that it is better designed for use in a one-semester, three-hour course or seminar at the law school or university law. Professors and students will benefit from: Emphasis on practical issues that influence the application, implementation, and development of human rights law. Problem-oriented focus with the goal to motivate students to think about concrete issues and the application of human rights law to the real world. Discussion of current issues in human rights today. Discussion of not only global but also regional treaties, mechanisms, institutions, and procedures related to human rights. Comprehensive coverage that highlights substantive discussion of human rights problems around the world. Presentations of differing views on the theory and practice of human rights. Discussion of the theoretical foundations of human rights, cultural relativism, and sovereignty. Examination of historical developments in human rights as well as modern issues and conflicts. Thoroughly updated text that includes new documents and jurisprudence, as well as recent scholarship. Exposition of the interrelationship between human rights and international humanitarian law and international criminal law. Updated examination of the domestic enforcement of international human rights law.

This Oxford Handbook ambitiously seeks to lay the groundwork for the relatively new field of comparative foreign relations law. Comparative foreign relations law compares and contrasts how nations, and also supranational entities (for example, the European Union), structure their decisions about matters such as entering into and exiting from international agreements, engaging with international institutions, and using military force, as well as how they incorporate treaties and customary international law into their domestic legal systems. The legal materials that make up a nation's foreign relations law can include constitutional law, statutory law, administrative law, and judicial precedent, among other areas. This book consists of 46 chapters, written by leading authors from around the world. Some of the chapters are empirically focused, others are theoretical, and still others contain in-depth case studies. In addition to being an invaluable resource for scholars working in this area, the book should be of interest to a wide range of lawyers, judges, and law students. Foreign relations law issues are addressed regularly by lawyers working in foreign ministries, and globalization has meant that domestic judges, too, are increasingly confronted by them. In addition, private lawyers who work on matters that extend beyond their home countries often are required to navigate issues of foreign relations law. An increasing number of law school courses in comparative foreign relations law are also now being developed, making this volume an important resource for students as well. Comparative foreign relations law is a newly emerging field of study and teaching, and this volume is likely to become a key reference work as the field continues to develop.

This book explores the concept of beneficial ownership in equity law, the domestic tax laws of the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, as well as its varied and increasing uses in international tax law. By analysing the evolution of beneficiary rights in equity and the use of beneficial ownership wording in tax law, the book draws a roadmap for dealing with beneficial ownership in both national and international tax law. This approach highlights those common misconceptions that can be avoided by understanding the origins of the concept and its engagement with equity, as well as the differences with tax law. However, the book does not limit itself to dealing with theoretical discussion, but also offers an instructive and detailed practical case study. Offering both academic commentary and a practitioner focus, the book will be of the utmost interest to scholars and practitioners from common and civil law countries dealing with tax and estate law, particularly given beneficial ownership's increasing relevance.

Demonstrates how rule is not only a feature of order in states, but also in the international realm.

This book grows out of the work of a study group convened by the American Branch of the International Law Association. The group had a mandate to examine threats to the rules-based international order and possible responses. The several chapters in the book-all of which are written by distinguished international law scholars--generally support the conclusion that the rules-based international order confronts significant challenges, but it is not unraveling--at least, not yet. Climate change is the biggest wild card in trying to predict the future. If the world's major powers--especially the United States and China--cooperate with each other to combat climate change, then other threats to the rules-based order should be manageable. If the world's major powers fail to address the climate crisis by 2040 or 2050, the other threats addressed in this volume may come to be seen as trivial in comparison. The book consists of fourteen chapters, plus an introduction. Three chapters address specific threats to the rules-based international order: climate change, autonomous weapons, and cyber weapons. Eight chapters address particular substantive areas of international law: jus ad bellum, jus in bello, trade law, investment law, anti-bribery law, human rights law, international criminal law, and migration law. The remaining chapters provide a range of perspectives on the past evolution and likely future development of the rules-based international order as a whole.