Of law and the world : critical conversations on power, history, and political economy

David Kennedy and Martti Koskenniemi, two leading critics of law’s role in global life, join together to explore the origins and destiny of efforts to build law into the fabric of global life. Erudite, open-minded, and at times personal, __Of Law and the World__ is a poignant conversation about humanity’s struggle to live together. A searching dialogue between two leading legal scholars exploring the place of law in global affairs. The modern world is legal language, institutions, and professionals are everywhere. But what is laws power in global life? What does all this legality have to do with hegemony, with hierarchy and inequality, and with the diversity of human experience? What is its history and how does that history matter in world affairs? Above all, what does it mean to think critically about law and global affairs? In this poignant and iconoclastic book, two leading scholars take us to the heart of the matter, examining laws relationship with history, power, and political economy. David Kennedy and Martti Koskenniemi have often inspired each other and are both considered critical voices in international law, but they have never explored their similarities and differences as deeply as they do here. Of Law and the World takes the form of a conversation, as the authors reflect on the study of international law, the motivations underlying their research, and the payoffs and limitations of their investigations into laws role in global affairs. They revisit and renew debates about the past and future of the many legalities that shape our world. Erudite, open-minded, and informed by decades of experience and observation, Of Law and the World is an unflinchingly honest confrontation with humanitys struggle to live together. Contents 5 Preface 7 CONVERSATION ONE What Is Critique? 11 CONVERSATION TWO What Is International Law? 50 CONVERSATION THREE International Law and Power 84 CONVERSATION FOUR Many International Legalities: Hegemony and Differentiation 127 CONVERSATION FIVE International Legal History as Critique 177 CONVERSATION SIX Law in the Political Economy of the World 220 CONVERSATION SEVEN Concluding Thoughts, Open Questions 273 Authors’ Works Cited 305 "David Kennedy and Martti Koskenniemi, two leading critics of international law, join together to explore the successes and failures of global governance, as well as the fierce debates surrounding it. Erudite, open-minded, and at times personal, Of Law and the World is a poignant conversation about humanity's struggle to live together"-- Provided by publisher