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.
The latest issue of the International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law (Vol. 40, no. 1, 2025) is out. Contents include:
This volume offers a comprehensive examination of Hans Kelsen's legal and political philosophy, focusing on four central themes. The first part analyses Kelsen's theory of norms, including its periodisation and concepts of validity and coercion. The second part explores his perspectives on international law, addressing its structural analysis, primitive law characterisation, and teleology. The third part examines Kelsen's theory of democracy, its relationship with the pure theory of law, collective will, and democratisation of the administration. The final part discusses Kelsen's influence on the Vienna School of Legal Theory and its impact on case law and jurisprudence beyond Europe. This collection is essential for scholars and practitioners seeking to understand Kelsen's legacy.
The latest issue of the Nordic Journal of Human Rights (Vol. 43, no. 1, 2025) is out. Contents include:
The latest issue of Global Constitutionalism (Vol. 14, no. 1, March 2025) is out. Contents include:
Sun analyses the important and understudied subject of jurisdiction in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) over five groups of activities. It explores whether the basic premises and essential compromises of the EEZ regime established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea still hold true or whether there has been evolution in the regime in terms of accommodating the EEZ regulatory scheme to meet new needs and challenges. Significantly, the analysis of State practice indicates that coastal States have progressively asserted greater authority in defending their rights and jurisdiction in the EEZ, which have been broadly tolerated by the legal regime, and other user States. The stability of the EEZ regime is maintained by two legal doctrines that guide the attribution and exercise of the rights and freedoms of different States.
