Do not write the obituary of international law yet
The article argues against the premature declaration of international law's demise, despite ongoing global conflicts and the perceived ineffectiveness of international institutions. It highlights that states continue to invoke and justify their actions based on international legal principles, and that international law underpins daily global interactions, from aviation to trade and diplomacy. While acknowledging its imperfections and structural limitations, the article emphasizes that international law provides a crucial framework for cooperation, dispute resolution, and a rules-based international order, especially for developing nations, and that crises often lead to its adaptation rather than abandonment.
The article argues against the premature declaration of international law's demise, despite ongoing global conflicts and the perceived ineffectiveness of international institutions. It highlights that states continue to invoke and justify their actions based on international legal principles, and that international law underpins daily global interactions, from aviation to trade and diplomacy. While acknowledging its imperfections and structural limitations, the article emphasizes that international law provides a crucial framework for cooperation, dispute resolution, and a rules-based international order, especially for developing nations, and that crises often lead to its adaptation rather than abandonment.
Exam linkage
GS Paper 2 - International Relations
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