When International Law Works: Realistic Idealism After 9/11 And The Global Recession

In When International Law Works, Professor Tai-Heng Cheng transcends current debates about whether international law is really law by focusing on the reasons for complying with or deviating from international laws and other informal norms, whether or not they are 'law.' Cheng presents a new framework to guide decision makers when they confront an international problem that implicates the often competing policies and interests of their own communities and global order. Instead of advocating for or against international law, Cheng acknowledges both its benefits and shortcomings in order to present practical ways to decide whether compliance in a given circumstance is beneficial, moral, or necessary, and to adjust international law to meet the contemporary challenges of global governance. Cheng provides detailed case studies from recent events, including the global economic crisis and jihadist terrorism, demonstrating how his approach would work in real crises. This book offers policymakers, judges, arbitrators, scholars, and students practical guidance to navigate global problems and rethink the role of law in an increasingly crisis-driven world.