International Law as a Profession

About this book

"International law is not merely a set of rules or processes, but is a professional activity practised by a diversity of figures, including scholars, judges, counsel, teachers, legal advisers and activists. Individuals may in different contexts play more than one of these roles, and the interactions between them are illuminating of the nature of international law itself. This collection of innovative, multidisciplinary and self-reflective essays reveal a bilateral process whereby, on the one hand, the professionalization of international law informs discourses about the law, and, on the other hand, discourses about the law inform the professionalization of the discipline. Intended to promote a dialogue between practice and scholarship, this book is a must-read for all those engaged in the profession of international law"-- "Approaching international law as a profession rather than something 'out there' ready to be interpreted and applied to problems of world politics, this book sheds light on the complex relation between one's profession and one's understanding of international law through a didactic three-tiered structure. This structure distinguishes theoretical studies on the very idea of a profession (Part 1), conceptual and theoretical inquiries into theories that inform the practice of international law and the relation between practice and theory (Part 2), and more specific investigations in some concrete professional capacities in which international lawyers engage with international law"--