Zarbiyev: Of Theory and Reality, and Airplanes and Helicopters

Fuad Zarbiyev (Geneva Graduate Institute) has posted Of Theory and Reality, and Airplanes and Helicopters (European Journal of International Law, forthcoming). Here's the abstract:

The general course on public international law delivered by Professor Alain Pellet at The Hague Academy of International Law deviates from the recent tendency indulged in by many general courses to approach the discipline from the angle of a particular theme. His is a course taking the phrase ‘general course on public international law’ quite literally. Despite the generalist outlook of the course, however, there is a guiding thread animating it – namely, Pellet’s vision of how the reality of international law should be approached by international lawyers – in particular, by international law academics. After a brief general presentation of the course, this review essay focuses on Pellet’s theory of the theory and reality of international law and attempts to offer some general observations about what such a theory means against the backdrop of the current state of the discipline.