Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Human Rights Law
Challenging Some Baseline Assumptions About The Evolution Of International Commissions Of Inquiry, Michael A. Becker
Challenging Some Baseline Assumptions About The Evolution Of International Commissions Of Inquiry, Michael A. Becker
Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law
Conventional accounts of the historical development of international commissions of inquiry reflect a progress narrative consisting of three propositions: (1) that recourse to inquiry bodies has increased dramatically in the post-Cold War era, (2) that inquiry bodies have evolved from mechanisms for "pure" fact- finding into quasi-judicial bodies that engage with international law, and (3) that the function of inquiry bodies has shifted from diplomatic dispute settlement to norm enforcement and accountability. Part I explains how this narrative simplifies and distorts the rich history of inquiry bodies in international affairs. Part II shows how the idea of a post-Cold War …