Opening the morning paper or browsing the web, routine actions for us all, rarely if ever shake our fundamental beliefs about the world. If we assume a naïve, reflective state of mind, however, reading newspapers and surfing the web offer us quite a different experience: they provide us with a glimpse into the kaleidoscopic nature of the modern era that can be quite irritating.
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How is human freedom really possible in the natural world as correctly described by modern physics, chemistry, biology, and cognitive neuroscience? Or, given the truth of modern science, are you really free? By 'real freedom,' I mean 'real free will and real rational agency'.
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Taiwan easily satisfies the traditional requirements for statehood: a permanent population, effective control over a territory, a government, and the capacity to interact with other states. Yet the realities of global power politics have kept Taiwan from being recognized as such.
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With the situation in Crimea moving rapidly, our law editors recently put together a debate map on the potential use of force in international law. To further support the background reading that many students and scholars of international law need, we’ve compiled a brief reading list to better understand the context and application of international law, including concepts of sovereignty, international responsibility, the laws of war, self-determination, secession, and statehood.
Brownlie’s Principles of Public International Law, Eighth Edition by James Crawford
Check Part III: Territorial Sovereignty, Part VI: International Transactions, Part IX: The Law of Responsibility, and Part XI: Disputes for overviews of the major issues in the Crimea crisis. Identify the different elements of the public international system at play.
Documents on the Laws of War, Third Edition, edited by Adam Roberts and Richard Guelff
Review the core rules, protocols, and conventions governing rights, duties, protections, and applications in wartime. What guidance can they provide?
The Law of International Responsibility, edited by James Crawford, Alain Pellet, and Simon Olleson; assistant editor Dr Kate Parlett
With discussion in Europe and the United States about their obligations to Ukraine, it’s essential to understand what protections there are to offer – and what qualifications must be met before enforcement.
Contested Statehood: Kosovo’s Struggle for Independence by Marc Weller
What can we learn from the international attempts to settle the Kosovo crisis and apply these lessons to Crimea? What failures can be avoided?
The Foreign Policy of Counter Secession: Preventing the Recognition of Contested States by James Ker-Lindsay
Gain insight from interviews with leading experts on the territorial integrity of states versus the right to self-determination.
The War Report: 2012, edited by Stuart Casey-Maslen
Much of the actions that the international community may take are predicated on the definition of war — or at least aggressive action. If Crimea doesn’t undergo a seamless transition, will this conflict be included the the 2014 war report?
Robert Beck on Grenada and Georg Nolte on Intervention by Invitation from Wolfrum (Ed.) in The Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law
Crimea has voted for annexation and invited Russia into the country. What lessons can be drawn from Grenada 1983?
A panoramic view from Çufut Qale (Chufut Kale) in Crimea, Ukraine. Photo by Sergiy Klymenko. CC BY SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Louise Doswald Beck’s “The Legal Validity of Military Intervention by Invitation of the Government” in The British Year Book of International Law
While scholars debate the meanings of the basic theoretical principles of international law, how do they compare to historical interventions?
Two approaches to South Ossetia: Philip Leach from Wilmshurst (Ed.) The Classification of Conflicts and Angelika Nussberger from Wolfrum (Ed.) The Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law
In 2008, tensions between Georgia and Russia spilled over into an armed conflict. Are there lessons for Russia’s conduct — as well as the international community’s — for today?
Georg Nolte and Albrecht Randelzhofer on Article 51 from Simma (Ed.) The Charter of the United Nations: A Commentary
There is no doubt the UN Charter will be invoked in the debates, so clear commentary is crucial to understanding it.
Both Stefan Oeter and Daniel Thurer on Self-Determination
If the people of Crimea choose to join Russia, who is the international community to stop them?
James Crawford on Secession from The Creation of States in International Law, Second Edition
What are the tests for international recognition now that Crimea has seceded?
Yves Beigbeder on Referendum from Wolfrum (Ed.) The Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law
There have been a number of disputes over Crimea’s referendum — from lack of choice to intimidation at the polling stations.
Jens Ohlin on Aggression from Cassese (Ed.) The Oxford Companion to International Criminal Justice
Shots have been fired. If the conflict escalates, how and when does it qualify as aggression under international law?
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The post An international law reading list for the situation in Crimea appeared first on OUPblog.
