Digital Commons Network^™

From Free Trade To Strategic Constraints: U.S.-Led Sanctionsand Export Controls Against Russia And China, Dr. Miguel Angel Marmolejo Cervantes, Lisa Reilly Solis

Canada-United States Law Journal

This article examines the evolving role of sanctions and export controls led by the United States (U.S.) in shaping global trade dynamics, particularly in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s technological and military advancements. The U.S. has expanded its use of extraterritorial export control measures, particularly the Foreign Direct Product Rules, to regulate the global flow of strategic commodities, technology, and software. The study explores the extensive sanctions and export control regimes imposed on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, including restrictions on energy, finance, and military-related technologies. The article also evaluates Canada’s parallel regulatory framework and …

Fireside Chat: Ai In Canada And The United States, Mark Schaan, Elham Tabassi, Christopher Sands

Canada-United States Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Climate Change And Human Rights, Jean-Francois Hould, Sonya Savage, Kristy Balsanek, Victor Flatt

Canada-United States Law Journal

A panel discussion on addressing climate change and human rights in Canada and the United States.

Decolonial Constitutionalism, Richard Albert

Chicago Journal of International Law

The American Declaration of Independence kindled the first successful decolonial movement in the modern world, culminating in the enactment of the United States Constitution. From colony to sovereign state to great power, the United States modeled for subordinated peoples abroad how to win their own battles for sovereignty. Since the end of the Second World War, however, America’s eighteenth-century precedent of revolutionary self-determination is no longer the prevailing path to decolonization. The traditional warmaking toolkit for winning independence—revolution, illegality, and violence—has been replaced by more orderly tactics consonant with the rule of law. Evolution, lawfulness, and continuity are the touchstones …

Survival Of The Fittest? Ai And Its Different Regulatory Models, Miklós Király

Emory International Law Review

Prof. Peter Hay is a regular visitor to Budapest, Hungary. He gives excellent lectures on conflict of laws, with a particular focus on the nuances of jurisdiction. At the same time, many of us are avid readers of his German textbook US-Amerikanisches Recht. This textbook provides an overview of US law, from legal history to constitutional law and administrative law or criminal law. His interest and work which spans legal disciplines and legal systems, encourages me to welcome him with a paper on comparative law than a study of private international law.

This paper provides an overview of the broad …

Public Policy’S Dual Function In Conflicts Law, Hossein Fazilatfar

Emory International Law Review

Public policy displays in conflicts law in various forms. It plays both a preventive and an offensive role. In its defensive form it may be used to refuse recognition of a foreign judgement or an arbitral award which violate forum’s public policy. It may also block the law chosen by the parties or any law otherwise applicable to the transaction for public policy violations. Simultaneously public policy provides for the direct application of its offensive function known as mandatory laws which will replace the law chosen by the parties or the law determined through any conflict analysis. This Article illustrates …

Peter Hay: An Academic Life In Full, Hans-Eric Rasmussen-Bonne

Emory International Law Review

No abstract provided.

Precautionary Measures And The Risk Of Escalation In The Use Of Nuclear Weapons, Jeffrey Biller

Emory International Law Review

The use of nuclear weapons presents an unparalleled risk of escalation, a reality that has become increasingly pressing due to recent geopolitical developments, particularly Russia’s revised nuclear doctrine and its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. While the legal frameworks governing armed conflict, particularly International Humanitarian Law (IHL), do not traditionally require an analysis of escalation risk before an attack, this article argues that the extreme and immediate consequences of nuclear escalation necessitate its inclusion within the precautionary measures framework.

This article first examines the concept of nuclear escalation, identifying both intended and unintended risks associated with nuclear strikes. While nuclear deterrence …

Transcending Boundaries In The Age Of International Corporate And Financial Law, Maria Lucia Passador

Emory International Law Review

This article critically examines the dynamic interplay between European corporate law and international corporate law (ICL) against the backdrop of globalization and regulatory competition, offering insights into the former’s multifaceted influences and contributions to the evolving dynamics of the latter.

The paper begins by exploring the role of legal transplants and implants in comparative company law, addressing both their advantages and challenges. The article then turns to key features of ICL, with particular attention to the influence of U.S. law. Notably, the influence of U.S. law on ICL prompts an examination of EU corporate law’s role – whether it passively …

On Blockchain As A Tool Against Corporate Corruption, Yannis Normand

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Over the last decades domestic and international legal frameworks have successfully coalesced to limit corrupt behavior worldwide. However, despite their success, current regulatory tools are not sufficiently well-equipped to address corruption in modern economic settings. These mechanisms can often be too costly to implement, too cumbersome to induce compliance, politically manipulatable, and may disincentivize foreign investment and internal corporate monitoring efforts. To address such drawbacks, policymakers should consider the introduction of blockchain-based tools in developing future anti-corruption efforts.

Blockchain can serve as a foundation for structures that can make it more attractive, easier and cost-efficient to monitor economic transactions, to …

The War On Trade: Applying The Wto Security Exceptions To Economic Security Measures, Ian Allen

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

This article examines the efficacy of the WTO treaties’ security exception provisions in curbing abusive appeals to national security to justify otherwise impermissible trade measures. It specifically explores whether GATT Article XXI and its sister provisions establish objectively discernible prerequisite conditions for their invocation, how far Member discretion extends in defining “essential security interests,” and whether the WTO dispute system offers sufficiently objective legal standards to prevent abuse of the security exceptions.

Building on existing scholarship, this article employs a comprehensive interpretive analysis of all available means under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) and integrates not …

The Clash Of Security And Commerce: Analyzing The Impact Of U.S. Foreign Trade And Investment Regulations Through The Lens Of The Tiktok Controversy, Xuemao Zhang

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

This Article examines the evolving tension between national security and economic globalization in U.S. foreign trade and investment regulation. Using the TikTok controversy as a focal point, it argues that American trade regulation has undergone a decisive transformation—from promoting international integration to prioritizing the protection of strategic technologies, data, and supply chains against perceived adversaries, particularly China. The analysis traces this shift from early tariff legislation, through the liberalizing trade era of the mid-twentieth century, to recent measures such as the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 and President Biden’s executive orders on inbound and outbound investment. The …

Due Diligence Obligations Over State Economic Entities In International Investment Law, Kevin Clement

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

The growing importance and sophistication of State capitalism and associated implementation of governmental policies through State economic entities, such as State-owned banks, State-owned enterprises, monopolies, and other entities close to the government, has given rise to a perception that existing international law rules are inadequate to effectively accommodate the activities of such entities. Sole reliance on customary international law principles of attribution has proven particularly problematic where governments maintain links with their economic entities that create a risk of the latter being used as conduits for governmental action. Such links may exist in a variety of forms beyond mere ownership, …

Forum Shifting To Regulate Data Privacy: The Creation And Evolution Of Eu Data Protection Law, Raymond Yang Gao

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Currently, the European data protection regime has become one of the most influential legal frameworks regulating data privacy protection and cross-border personal data transfers. Despite a burgeoning body of scholarship on EU data protection law, the questions of why and how the EU adopted this regulatory approach remain understudied. Contrary to conventional wisdom, European data protection regulation is neither preordained by Europe’s historical or cultural legacies, nor simply a result imposed by powerful EU member states out of national economic interests. Instead, this work argues that this legal regime is the result of contentious lawmaking processes aimed at addressing regulatory …

Eye-For-An-Eye: High Compensation Awards Against States As Undue Punishment, David M. Bigge, Jonathan M. White

American University International Law Review

In observing the past several years’ debates regarding reparations under international law, we are reminded of lessons we learned as children in Sunday School. The Jewish and Christian sacred texts address the principle of retributive justice reflected in the Biblical phrase “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” During the early rabbinic period, the great sages grappled with the import of this rule. Jesus famously rejected the rule in favor of mercy: “turn the other cheek.” The rabbis were not as interested in rejecting this rule in its entirety as ensuring that it yielded justice.

El Derecho A La Privacidad Del Pensamiento: Neurotechnología En El Sistema Interamericano De Derechos Humanos, Javier Alejandro Diaz Briceno

American University International Law Review

La historia de la tecnofobia y el ludismo nos enseña que superar el miedo a lo nuevo implica reflexionar sobre cómo enfrentamos las innovaciones pasadas. Mirando hacia atrás, podemos identificar que invenciones o descubrimientos—ahora esenciales—enfrentaron resistencia inicial antes de ser aceptadas de forma general. Por mencionar algunas: los teléfonos, la electricidad, las vacunas, los elevadores, aviones, automóviles, las computadoras y más.

Cyberbullying As A Contemporary Human Rights Violation Of Youth In Digital Media: A Study Of India, Brazil, And South Africa, Laura Ferla Tuma

American University International Law Review

The COVID-19 pandemic facilitated a technological migration not only among adults but also among children and adolescents. Digital media became the alternative for young individuals to maintain their activities, especially school-related ones. They shared virtual classrooms, used the internet for entertainment, and were forced to socialize exclusively in digital environments for months. Connected time increased, and the world witnessed a new phenomenon: hyperconnectivity.

Is It Possible To Draft A Universal Criminal Code?, Paul H. Robinson

American University International Law Review

The world contains hundreds of distinct communities with their own traditions and values. One might assume that, despite the best efforts of international organizations, it would be impossible to draft a criminal code that could operate effectively for all countries. Is that the case? If one tried to construct a universal criminal code, what sorts of challenges and limitations with the effort face?

Discussant Commentary On The Twenty-Seventh Annual Grotius Lecture, Jamil Dakwar

American University International Law Review

27^th Annual Grotius Lecture on International Law: April 2025

Martinique’S Octroi De Mer: Ancient Dock Dues Threaten The Integrity Of The European Union’S (Eu) Internal Market And Contribute To The Cost Of Living Crisis., Johanna Leffler

American University International Law Review

In 1670, France implemented a tax on all imports known as the octroi de mer in Martinique, a Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies. The octroi de mer outlived France’s colonial rule over Martinique, and today, it is imposed on both imported and locally produced products. This Comment argues that the octroi de mer system undermines the integrity and coherence of the European Union’s (EU) legal order, violating Article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU or Treaty) because its very nature is contrary to the fundamental principles of the EU …

Blood Cobalt: Unmasking And Charging Corporations For Involvement In International Law Violations In The Democratic Republic Of Congo, Bolu Jegede

American University International Law Review

Joint Criminal Enterprise (JCE) is a legal doctrine developed by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to hold participants in a criminal enterprise equally liable for all results of the group’s criminal actions, even if the individuals were not directly involved in committing the crimes. While traditionally used to prosecute individual criminal actions, JCE provides a legal pathway to hold corporations criminally liable for their actions that further international law violations. Although corporations currently do not have specific, listed responsibilities under international law, they are required to respect human rights and ensure their activities do not perpetrate …

The Blue Economy Comes To Green Creek, Ursula Ramsey

South Carolina Journal of International Law and Business

Oceans, touted as the “next great economic frontier,” are projected to contribute three trillion dollars to the global economy. Beyond their economic potential, oceans provide a host of environmental benefits: oceans supply over half of the planet’s oxygen and contain nearly all of the Earth’s water and biosphere. Especially because the high seas represent one of the few remaining global commons, oceans present a governance challenge. Meeting this challenge is the concept of the blue economy, a form of governance that combines environmental stewardship, economic development, and social equity. This article, in discussing Mulvihill v. South Carolina Department of Health …

The Effect Of Constructive Ambiguity On Differentiation In The Climate Change Regime: Mitigation And Climate Justice, Enam Korkor Antonio

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

In the high-stakes world of international climate negotiations, words can be both sword and shield. This article exposes how "constructive ambiguity" worked as a double-edged sword in shaping the discourse on differentiated responsibilities for climate change mitigation. This linguistic diplomatic maneuver may have temporarily bridged seemingly insurmountable divides. However, it has also undermined global climate justice. This article traces the evolution of differentiation in the climate change regime, revealing three distinct interpretations that emerge from the mist of constructive ambiguity. This article's central point is that the success of international climate action hinges on a bold recalibration: embracing each stage …

Table Of Contents, Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

No abstract provided.

Where Air Meets Space: Legal Implications For The Provision And Use Of In-Flight Internet Connectivity By Satellite, Steven Truxal, Dimitra Stefoudi

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

In view of the increasing scale and broadening scope of the provision and use of in-flight internet connectivity by satellite, this article identifies relevant legal implications for States, satellite operators and airlines. With reference to international air law and international space law, as well as telecommunication law, this article discusses the extent to which existing law can alleviate legal concerns.

The article begins with an introduction that discusses the intersection of air and space, locating the provision and use of in-flight connectivity by satellite. A lack of political and legal consensus on where precisely to delineate outer space is explained …

Non-State Armed Conflicts Or Criminal Activities? Haitian Gangs In The International Humanitarian Law Framework, Grace Paulson

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

Over the years, numerous attempts have been made to establish stability in Haiti, including efforts by President Jovenel Moïse, yet none have succeeded. The power vacuum left by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 further fueled the recent widespread outbreak of gang violence. In the absence of both a trusted, elected president and a functional government, gangs have taken it upon themselves to fill this power void—particularly the gang known as G9. The leader of the G9 gang has used the assassination of Moïse as fuel to encourage his followers to engage in “legitimate violence” against the corrupt …

The Human Right To A Healthy Environment: Corporate Responsibility In Critical Mineral Extraction, Erika George

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

This paper argues that the emerging human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment should guide the governance of critical minerals by incorporating the corporate responsibility to respect human rights throughout supply chains to ensure a racially just energy transition. It frames the climate crisis within the history and political economy of racial capitalism, contending that without rights-based guardrails, mineral supply chains risk reproducing the extractive harms and racialized disparities of the fossil fuel era, including labor abuses, displacement, water depletion, and violence disproportionately borne by racialized and Indigenous communities. Methodologically, the paper combines doctrinal analysis of international norms …

A Route To Self-Determination: Empowering The West Papuan Region Through Targeted Special Autonomy Law Reforms And Iccpr/Icescr Integration, Maanasa Pamganamamula

Loyola University Chicago International Law Review

This Comment examines Indonesia’s governance over West Papua, analyzing how the 2001 Special Autonomy Law and its 2021 amendments have undermined Papuans’ right to self-determination. Although the 2001 law aimed to enhance regional autonomy and protect Indigenous rights, it has largely failed, fueling protests, human rights violations, and militarization. These ongoing issues trace back to the 1962 United States brokered “New York Agreement,” which transferred administrative control to Indonesia following Dutch withdrawal. By excluding Papuans from key decisions, such as the “Act of Free Choice,” Indonesia entrenched systemic abuses that continue to shape the region’s political landscape.

Building on this …

‘Cruel And Unusual’ In 1689, 1791, And 1868: Shifts In Incorporation, Gregory Velloze

UC Law Constitutional Quarterly

Recently, the Supreme Court has acknowledged the scholarly debate over whether to apply the historical understanding of the Bill of Rights as ratified in 1791 or as incorporated through the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868. This acknowledgment raises two important issues with regards to the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause. First, the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause was copied from the English Bill of Rights in 1689, generating a third, additional time period relevant to its historical understanding. Second, the more textualist framework of the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause allows for more relatively bounded language and interpretation, which could remain …

Editor-In-Chief’S Foreword, Megan Stupi

UC Law Constitutional Quarterly

No abstract provided.