New Issue: Journal of International Economic Law

The latest issue of the Journal of International Economic Law (Vol. 28, no. 1, March 2025) is out. Contents include:

• Martina F. Ferracane, Simón González Ugarte & Erik van der Marel, The Brussels effect in Africa: is it beneficial for intra-regional trade in digital services?
• Andrew D. Mitchell, Home remedies: flexibilities to onshore pharmaceutical manufacturing under WTO rules
• Karishma Banga, Alexander Beyleveld & Martin Luther Munu, Trading away tax sovereignty? How trade rules shape taxation of the digital economy in Africa
• Caroline Henckels, General and security exceptions and the question of compensation in international investment law
• Alina Papanastasiou, Lost in conversion: rethinking investment treaty protection against retroactive regulation in the wake of the ‘Francogeddon’
• Damien Charlotin, David Restrepo Amariles & Arnaud van Waeyenberg, From conflict to coexistence ? The consolidation of the pluralist era for intra-EU investment arbitration

Kato: Revitalizing the obligatory abstention rule in the UN Security Council: an interpretation of the Proviso in Article 27 (3) of the UN Charter

Akira Kato (Kindai Univ. - Law) has posted Revitalizing the obligatory abstention rule in the UN Security Council: an interpretation of the Proviso in Article 27 (3) of the UN Charter (Journal of Conflict & Security Law, forthcoming). Here's the abstract:

According to the proviso in Article 27 (3) of the UN Charter, members of the UN Security Council, including the permanent members, shall abstain from voting under Chapter VI of the UN Charter if they are parties to a dispute. This obligatory abstention rule has had significant implications in recent years, especially in relation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Although Russia has deviated from this rule by repeatedly vetoing draft resolutions regarding this matter, only a few demands for implementing the obligatory abstention rule has been voiced within the Council. This is somewhat understandable given the legal difficulties surrounding the obligatory abstention rule, which are responsible for the longstanding non-applications of this rule. In this context, this article explores three legal issues related to the rule in question with the goal of revitalizing obligatory abstention in the Council. First, the prolonged non-application of the obligatory abstention rule has resulted in suspicion among scholars that the rule has fallen into desuetude. Second, it has been argued that if a matter has the character of a ‘situation’ rather than a ‘dispute’, the obligatory abstention rule cannot be applied. Third, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the definition of a ‘dispute’ under Article 27 (3) and the method for determining who are considered parties to a dispute. This article mainly asserts that the obligatory abstention rule is still legally valid and that a draft resolution could serve as the basis for determining who the parties to a dispute are.

New Issue: Ethics & International Affairs

The latest issue of Ethics & International Affairs (Vol. 38, no. 4, Winter 2024) is out. Contents include:

• Roundtable: The Future of UN Peacekeeping
• Jennifer Welsh & Marie-Joëlle Zahar, What Future for Peace Operations?
• Emily Paddon Rhoads, The Future of Protection in UN Peace Operations
• John Karlsrud, UN Peacekeeping and Impartiality: A Fading Relationship
• Victoria K. Holt, A Positive Legacy? UN Peace Operations and Renewable Energy
• Dirk Druet, Knives Out: Evolving Trends in State Interference with UN Peacekeeping Operations
• Feature
• Silje A. Langvatn, What Is It We Disagree about When We Disagree about the Legitimacy of an Institution? A Framework for Analyzing Legitimacy’s Institutional-Context Sensitivity
• Review Essay
• Kok-Chor Tan, Global Justice in Wildlife Conservation

Claussen, Elsig, & Polanco: The Concept Design of a Twenty-First Century Preferential Trade Agreement: Trends and Future Innovations

Kathleen Claussen, Georgetown Univ. - Law), Manfred Elsig (Universität Bern - World Trade Institute), & Rodrigo Polanco (Universität Bern - World Trade Institute) have published The Concept Design of a Twenty-First Century Preferential Trade Agreement: Trends and Future Innovations (Cambridge Univ. Press 2025). The table of contents is here. Here's the abstract:

The Concept Design of a 21st Century Preferential Trade Agreement describes the current status and possible future evolution of trade agreements. The individual contributions provide fine-grained analyses of the various challenges trade agreements face and how these differ across countries. The book brings together leading researchers from international law and international relations to provide conceptual and empirical insights to inform the ongoing reform debates. By taking stock of scholarly advances, the book further aims at stimulating cross-fertilization in the study of trade agreements in the field of international economic law. This title is available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

New Issue: Revista de Direito Internacional

The latest issue of Revista de Direito Internacional (Vol. 21, no. 3, 2024) is out. The theme is "International Food Law (II)." The table of contents is here.

Chehtman, Huneeus, & Puig: Latin American International Law in the Twenty-First Century

Alejandro Chehtman (Universidad Torcuato Di Tella - Law), Alexandra Huneeus (Univ. of Wisconsin - Law, & Sergio Puig (European University Institute) have published Latin American International Law in the Twenty-First Century (Oxford Univ. Press 2025). The table of contents is here. Here's the abstract:

Latin America has been a pivotal site for influential and innovative developments in international law since the colonial era. Throughout much of the twentieth century, Latin American politics were entangled with the political and economic interests of the United States. Today, as the global order shifts, scholars and legal practitioners are grappling with the current restructuring and potential transformation of international relations—and what this means for international law in the region.

This collection of essays brings together a group of highly regarded scholars to present a broad survey of Latin Americaâs approaches and contributions, historically and presently, to the field of international law.

Comprehensive, diverse, and multidisciplinary, the book covers recent developments in areas like environmental regulation, internet regulation, Indigenous rights, LGBTIQ rights, and public health, among others. It also considers more traditional themes, such as law and development, the doctrine of nonintervention, human rights, and jurisdictional disputes in the Spanish colonies.

Mavroidis: Industrial Policy, National Security, and the Perilous Plight of the WTO

Petros C. Mavroidis (Columbia Univ. - Law) has published Industrial Policy, National Security, and the Perilous Plight of the WTO (Oxford Univ. Press 2025). Here's the abstract:

The WTO is facing an unprecedented crisis, one that threatens to critically erode its relevance and destabilize global trade. Some member states have become increasingly distrustful of other WTO members, invoking trade-restrictive measures in the name of economic security.

Petros C. Mavroidis's new book provides insight into current international trade, national security, and environmental challenges facing the world community, of which the World Trade Organization (WTO) is at the epicenter. Even if the WTO overcame its current crisis, its adjudication branch is insufficiently equipped to address the aforementioned challenges and the WTO contract itself is in dire need of updating. Yet, as Mavroidis argues, ensuring the survival of the WTO is crucial for rebuilding the trust of the global trading community. In this direction, Mavroidis offers concrete proposals toward improving the function of the WTO and reigniting global collaboration.

New Volume: Netherlands Yearbook of International Law

The latest volume of the Netherlands Yearbook of International Law (Vol. 53, 2022) is out. Contents include:

• Reparations in International Law: A Critical Reflection
• Julie Fraser, Emmanuel Giakoumakis, & Otto Spijkers, Introduction: New Frontiers in Reparations since Factory at Chorzów
• Deborah Casalin, Reparations for Displacement since Chorzów: Moving from the ‘Problems of Displacement’ to the ‘Problems of the Displaced’ via International and Regional Human Rights Bodies
• Jemima García-Godos & Lisa J. Laplante, Administrative Reparations Programs and Transitional Justice: Dilemmas, Debates and New Directions
• Edward J. Perez, Structural Remedies as Policy Making: Data, Rationales and Opportunities of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
• Pietro Sferrazza Taibi & Francisco Félix Bustos, Justice without Time Limits—The Impact of International Law on Chilean Case Law on Reparation in Relation to Crimes Committed during the Dictatorship
• Meagan Wong, Satisfaction and State Responsibility at the International Criminal Court: The Curious Crime of Aggression
• Alice Ollino, Satisfaction as a Remedy for Internationally Wrongful Acts: A Reassessment in Light of Inter-State Judicial Practice
• Christoph Sperfeldt, Extraordinary Experiments in Reparations: The Pursuit of Reparations at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia and the Extraordinary African Chambers
• Alina Balta, Mijke de Waardt, & Marola Vaes, ECCC Reparations Inside and Out: Unpacking Rhetorics on Reparative Justice for Victims of Mass Crimes
• Luke Moffett, A Century on from the Chorzów Factory: Reparations, National Wars of Liberation and the Limits of Wiping out the Consequences of Armed Conflicts
• Karina Theurer, Racism as an Obstacle to Reparations for Colonial Crimes? The Doctrine of Intertemporal Law in the German-Namibian Context
• Ebba Lekvall, Repairing “Historical” Wrongs: The Church of Sweden’s Approach to Redressing Colonial Abuses against the Sami

van Aaken & Hirsch: International Legal Theory and the Cognitive Turn

Anne van Aaken (Univ. of Hamburg - Law) & Moshe Hirsch (Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem - Law) have published International Legal Theory and the Cognitive Turn (Oxford Univ. Press 2025). The table of contents is here. Here's the abstract:

Significant changes in social sciences often herald changes in legal theory, including in international legal theory. In light of the cognitive turn in social sciences, this volume seeks to explore the implications of this ‘turn’ for international legal theories. Cognitive and behavioural studies are making inroads into international law literature and international policy-making, yet their implications for international legal theory remain under-explored. The book aims to fill this gap by systematically analysing if, to what extent, and how insights gained from cognitive-behavioural sciences influence the principal theoretical approaches to international law. The chapters indicate that while insights drawn from cognitive and behavioural literature often underlie or complement some international legal theories, interactions between some legal theories and cognitive-behavioural studies are characterized by tensions. Exploring the implicit and explicit cognitive-behavioural assumptions of international legal theories has the potential to build bridges between these fields.

Call for Papers: 2025 ASIL Research Forum

The American Society of International Law has issued a call for papers for its 2025 Research Forum, a part of the Society's Midyear Meeting, which will be held September 25-27, in Cleveland. The deadline is May 7, 2025, at 5:00PM EDT. The call is here.

New Issue: Review of International Organizations

The latest issue of the Review of International Organizations (Vol. 20, no. 1, March 2025) is out. Contents include:

• Kathleen J. Brown, Why hide? Africa’s unreported debt to China
• Devin Case-Ruchala, A paradox of openness: Democracies, financial integration & crisis
• Marius Mehrl, Daniel Seussler, & Paul W. Thurner, Sharing rivals, sending weapons: Rivalry and cooperation in the international arms trade, 1920–1939
• Rachel J. Schoner, Empowering your victims: Why repressive regimes allow individual petitions in international organizations
• Anna M. Meyerrose & Irfan Nooruddin, Trojan horses in liberal international organizations? How democratic backsliders undermine the UNHRC
• Matthias Ecker-Ehrhardt, Building bridges or digging the trench? International organizations, social media, and polarized fragmentation
• Timm Betz & Amy Pond, Governments as borrowers and regulators

Call for Engaged Listeners: “International Law in the Quest for Truth on the Battlefield” Roundtable

A call for engaged listeners has been issued for a roundtable on “International Law in the Quest for Truth on the Battlefield,” to take place July 4, 2025, at the University of Milan (and online). Applications are invited from early-career researchers and doctoral candidates. The call is here.

Call for Papers: Oceanic Echoes: Unveiling the Genocide-Maritime Connection, Sea by Sea

A call for papers has been issued for a workshop on "Oceanic Echoes: Unveiling the Genocide-Maritime Connection, Sea by Sea," to be held September 19, 2025, at the University of Reading (and online). The call is here.

New Volume: Anuario Colombiano de Derecho Internacional

The latest volume of the Anuario Colombiano de Derecho Internacional (Vol. 18, 2025) is out. Contents include:

• Aritz Obregón Fernández, El deber de comunicar al Consejo de Seguridad. Estudio de esta obligación a la luz de la práctica reciente y las aportaciones estatales
• Aline Beltrame de Moura, Brasil-UE bajo el EUDR: Modelando la Sostenibilidad Global y el Comercio
• Andrés Felipe López Latorre & Maria Camila Ospina Navarro, Empresas transnacionales y arbitraje de derechos humanos: ¿fracaso o promesa?
• Leandro Baltar & Luciana Scotti, Herramientas tecnológicas en los conflictos privados transfronterizos en Argentina Con especial referencia a la “Guía de buenas prácticas en materia de cooperación jurisdiccional internacional para las Américas”
• Facundo Rodriguez, La conciliación como método alternativo para solucionar la disputa de soberanía respecto a la Cuestión de las Islas Malvinas

Yang: Legitimacy of International and Hybrid Criminal Tribunals: Political, Normative, Economic, and Sociological Perspectives

Suhong Yang (Univ. of Hong Kong - Law) has posted Legitimacy of International and Hybrid Criminal Tribunals: Political, Normative, Economic, and Sociological Perspectives (Denver Journal of International Law and Policy, Vol. 53, no. 1, March 2025). Here's the abstract:

This article examines the legitimacy of international and hybrid criminal tribunals that try atrocities crimes in post-conflict situations. It addresses legitimacy from political, normative, economic, and sociological perspectives. Political legitimacy focuses on the creation of authority. Normative legitimacy emphasizes the criteria for justifications, considering justice, independence, fairness, legality, and effectiveness as metrics. Economic legitimacy explores the cost, i.e., time and money, to address cases, as delayed or expensive justice suffers. Sociological legitimacy reflects the acceptance of the institution by the public, focusing on audiences' perceptions of legitimacy. Multi-layered audiences make determinations about an institution's legitimacy based on their cognitions, which may relate to their culture, identity, and knowledge. Eventually, the least legitimacy requirement asks for (1) a proper authority of creation, (2) well-defined justice the court pursues, (3) process with fairness, (4) independent, unbiased, and competent adjudicators, and (5) a certain degree of public trust especially among the affected populations.

New Issue: Revue Générale de Droit International Public

The latest issue of the Revue Générale de Droit International Public (Vol. 128, no. 4, 2024) is out. Contents include:

• Monica Lugato, La tradition, facteur structurel de la information du droit international général
• Robert Charvin, L'UNRWA et le conflit Israélo-palestinien Gaza. 2023-2024

Mulgrew: Early Release in International Criminal Law

Róisín Mulgrew (Univ. of Galway - Law) has published Early Release in International Criminal Law (Edward Elgar Publishing 2025). Here's the abstract:

This book provides a comprehensive and critical account of the law, policy and practice underpinning early release systems in international criminal law. Róisín Mulgrew explores the distinct forms that early release can take and investigates key questions. Who makes and influences early release decisions? What factors are taken into account? Can conditional release be granted? And if so, who supervises this and what happens if conditions are breached?

Highlighting both institutional-specific discussions and systemic critiques of early release in international criminal law, this book provides fresh insights into the reach, depth and impact of international punishment. Mulgrew assesses and compares the systems in place at a variety of international criminal courts for unconditional and conditional early release, and sentence reduction. She also examines key topics including recall, victim participation and compassionate release.