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Nilsson, A-S. Political Interpretations of International Legal Norms. Cooperation and Conflict, XXIII, 1988, 163-177. International law is frequently accused of being irrelevant in the international system. In political language, it is supposed to play a basically manipulative role. This study examines the use of international legal norms in political language in an effort to determine whether actors actually, as critics argue, approach these norms in a homogeneous verbal way, regardless of the legal beliefs of the actors. Actors' verbal interpretations of legal norms ("say") are contrasted to the approach found in their legal models ("think") and in practical behavior ("do"). Traditional law is one of many possible legal models. The verbal, practical and theoretical interpretations of legal norms made by four intervening actors in the Spanish Civil War (France, Germany, Italy and the Soviet Union) are analyzed and compared. Although these are actors with a wide variance in legal beliefs (one is a status quo actor and three present different revolutionary models), their verbal approaches to legal norms proved to be very similar. Only rarely did political language reflect the legal beliefs/models and behavior of revolutionary actors. Instead, also revolutionary actors relied on traditional law in political language. The acceptance by the traditional legal system of such verbal manipulation of legal norms could, it is suggested here, both weaken and strengthen this system in the long run.

Experts are increasingly relied on in decision-making processes at international and European levels. Their involvement in those processes, however, is contested. This timely book on the role of 'experts' provides a broad-gauged analysis of the issues raised by their involvement in decision-making processes. The chapters explore three main recurring themes: the rationales for involving experts and ensuing legitimacy problems; the individual and collective dimensions of expert involvement in decision making; and experts and politics and the politics of expertise. With contributions from leading scholars and practitioners, they theorize the experts' involvement in general and address their role in the policy areas of environment, trade, human rights, migration, financial regulation, and agencification in the European Union

"Analyses of the significance of knowledge in present day society, also referred to as knowledge society, fuelled our curiosity about the role that experts play in international and European decision-making processes. This interest prompted us to ask the question reflected in the title of this book: are experts in these decision-making processes advisors, decisio"--

When is a norm peremptory? This is a question that has troubled legal scholars throughout the development of modern international law. In this work, Daniel Costelloe suggests - through an examination of State practice and international materials - that it is the legal consequences of a norm which distinguish it as peremptory. This book sheds new light on the legal consequences that peremptory norms have, for instance, in the law of treaties, international responsibility and state immunity. Unlike their substance or identification, the consequences of peremptory norms have remained under-studied. This book is the first specifically on this topic and is essential reading for all scholars and practitioners of public international law.

When is a norm peremptory? This is a question that has troubled legal scholars throughout the development of modern international law. In this work, Daniel Costelloe suggests - through an examination of State practice and international materials - that it is the legal consequences of a norm which distinguish it as peremptory. This book sheds new light on the legal consequences that peremptory norms have, for instance, in the law of treaties, international responsibility and state immunity. Unlike their substance or identification, the consequences of peremptory norms have remained under-studied. This book is the first specifically on this topic and is essential reading for all scholars and practitioners of public international law

What impact have African actors had on perceptions of and responses to current international security challenges? Are there international peace and security norms with African roots? How can actors that lack the power and financial resources of Western states help to shape prevailing conceptions of appropriate behavior in international politics? Addressing these questions, the authors of African Actors in International Security identify and explore the diverse pathways by which African governments, IGOs, NGOs, and individuals can and do influence the normative structure of contemporary international relations