Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Dickinson: Military Lawyers on the Battlefield: An Empirical Account of International Law Compliance

Laura Dickinson (Arizona State Univ. - Law) has posted Military Lawyers on the Battlefield: An Empirical Account of International Law Compliance (American Journal of International Law, Vol. 104, No. 1, 2010). Here's the abstract:
This empirical study, based on personal interviews, draws on insights from organizational theory to consider how military lawyers embedded with troops can help produce battlefield decisions that comply with international legal norms. These lawyers appear to be most likely to function effectively and encourage legal compliance if certain organizational features are present. Accordingly, focusing on the links between organizational structure, institutional culture, and legal compliance through more nuanced qualitative analysis should contribute to a better understanding of international law compliance.