Law Commons^™

Strengthening International Regulation Through "Transnational New Governance", Kenneth W. Abbott, Duncan Snidal

Kenneth W. Abbott

A new kind of international regulatory system is emerging: “Transnational New Governance” (TNG). TNG is emerging spontaneously, largely out of dissatisfaction with the failure of international “Old Governance” (OG) – acting through treaties and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) – to adequately regulate international business. NGOs, business firms and other actors, singly and in novel combinations, are creating a plethora of innovative institutions to apply transnational norms to business, especially on worker rights, environmental protection and human rights. These institutions are predominantly private, and operate through voluntary codes and standards: private transnational “soft law.”

We depict the range and diversity of the …

Commercial Peace And Political Competition In The Crosshairs Of International Arbitration, Thomas E. Carbonneau

Journal Articles

This article examines the mixed effect of arbitration upon the generation of international law norms; in particular, how arbitration can generate private law norms so effectively and yet still face strong resistance in public international law processes and controversies. The work of arbitration for international commercial litigation has been nothing less than spectacular. In both the private international and domestic civil contexts, arbitration has provided viable remedial solutions and functional adjudication when the law was either nonexistent or incapacitated. It has supplied a workable and adaptable trial system, which-on the international side-could also generate substantive legal norms. Arbitration thereby has …