Law Commons^™

Gender Equality And Women's Solidarity Across Religious, Ethnic And Class Difference In The Kenyan Constitutional Review Process, Athena D. Mutua

Journal Articles

This paper examines Kenyan's women's struggle to gain new legal authority for gender equality and women's empowerment in the Kenya Constitutional Review process. Specifically it examines the efforts of the campaign to "safeguard the gains of women in the Draft Constitution," a campaign launched by a coalition of four civil society organizations in Kenya after the release of a new Draft constitution in 2002. Its focus is the 2002 Draft, the Draft's relationship to the current Kenyan Constitution and to recent constitutional proposals, from a gender perspective.

The constitutional review process is part of a larger movement to democratize the …

From The Exile Files: An Essay On Trading Justice For Peace, Michael P. Scharf

Faculty Publications

In the spring and summer of 2003, the United States offered exile in lieu of invasion and prosecution to two rogue leaders accused of committing international crimes - Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (who declined) and Liberian President Charles Taylor (who accepted). In this essay, the author argues that the offer to Hussein was inappropriate, as it violated international treaties requiring prosecution, but that the offer to Taylor was permissible under international law. The essay examines the costs and benefits of amnesty and exile-for-peace deals and the limited nature of the international duty to prosecute. Where the duty to prosecute does …

Liability For Torts In Violation Of International Law: No Hook Under Sosa For Secondary, Complicit Actors, Helena Lynch

NYLS Law Review

No abstract provided.

Book Review Of Non-State Actors And Human Rights, Michael Ashley Stein

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

When Is A War Not A War? The Myth Of The Global War On Terror, Mary Ellen O'Connell

Journal Articles

It is essential to correctly classify situations in the world as ones of war or peace: human lives depend on the distinction, but so do liberty, property, and the integrity of the natural environment. President Bush's war on terror finds war where suspected members of al Qaeda are found. By contrast, war under international law exists where hostilities are on-going. To the extent there is ambiguity, the United States should err on the side of pursuing terrorists within the peacetime criminal law enforcement paradigm, not a wartime one. Not only does the criminal law better protect important human rights and …

Addressing The Scourge Of Human Trafficking: The Challenge Ahead, Roza Pati

Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

A Negative Proof Of International Law, Peter J. Spiro

Scholarly Works

Important legal scholars have launched assaults against both the consequence and legitimacy of international law. These challenges are useful by way of testing international law's theoretical underpinnings, which, in the modern period at least, have never been very secure. With THE LIMITS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, Jack Goldsmith and Eric Posner have done a service to those who put more faith in international law as a meaningful quantity. Especially in these the field's early renaissance years, understandings of international law should be considerably strengthened by the attack. Though I doubt the authors would thus conceive of their project, THE LIMITS OF …

International Law In Black And White, Daniel M. Bodansky

Scholarly Works

Is the study of international law an art or a science? Can the role of international law be explained by general rules, with predictive value? Or does it require the exercise of judgment, in order to account for the richness and complexity of international life? Traditionally, international lawyers have gravitated to the latter view, analyzing issues in an essentially ad hoc and eclectic manner. In their controversial new book, THE LIMITS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, Jack Goldsmith and Eric Posner argue forcefully for a more scientific approach, relying on the methodology known as rational choice theory. The article examine the book's …

Conflicts Of Interest In International Human Drug Research And The Insufficiency Of International Protections, Robert Gatter

All Faculty Scholarship

The problem of financial conflicts of interest in human subjects research is international in scope as drug manufacturers conduct trials in countries outside of the U.S., Japan, and the European Union, thereby side-stepping domestic regulation of conflicts of interest. Because such out-sourcing of human drug trials results in exporting risks associated with financial conflicts of interest, this essay examines the primary international sources for regulating those conflicts. These sources include the World Health Organization’s Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice for Trials on Pharmaceutical Products, the Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice adopted by the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements …

Argentina: Social Rights, Thorny Country: Judicial Review Of Economic Policies Sponsored By The Ifis , Horacio Javier Etchichury

American University International Law Review

No abstract provided.

Israel, Hezbollah And The Conflict In Lebanon: An Act Of Aggression Or Self-Defense?, Victor Kattan

Human Rights Brief

No abstract provided.

Public Law Values In A Privatized World, Laura T. Dickinson

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

Although domestic administrative law scholars have long debated privatization within the US, this debate has not confronted the growing phenomenon of privatization in the international realm or its impact on the values embodied in public international law. Yet, with both nation-states and international organizations increasingly privatizing foreign affairs functions, privatization is now as significant a phenomenon internationally as it is domestically. For example, states are turning to private actors to perform core military, foreign aid, and diplomatic functions. Military privatization entered the popular consciousness in 2004, when private contractors working for the US government abused detainees at Abu Ghraib prison …

Privatization Of Corrections: A Violation Of U.S. Domestic Law, International Human Rights, And Good Sense, Ira Robbins

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

International Legal Updates, Natalie Huls, Art Steele, Huwaida Arraf, Courtney Nicolaisen, Miya Saika Chen

Human Rights Brief

No abstract provided.

International Legal Updates, Sebastian Amar, Shirley Woodward, Sabrina Balgamwalla, Amy Tai

Human Rights Brief

No abstract provided.

Whose Job Is It Anyway?: Governmental Obligations Created By The Human Right To Water, Amy Hardberger

Faculty Articles

The importance of water is difficult to quantify, but because it is necessary for survival, it deserves recognition as a human right. Although the right to water has received considerable attention, it has not yet achieved the status of customary international law.

If the human right to water becomes an accepted norm of international law, there could be differing consequences for governments. A human right is enforceable by a citizen against her government by investigating intragovernmental responsibilities in different contexts, including times of peace and more complicated relationships, such as those created in times of conflict or belligerent occupation. Different …

Extending Predation Analysis To Monopolist's Bundled Discounts Under Section 2: An Economic, Legal, And Comparative Perspective, Seth B. Chertok

ExpressO

In LePage’s v. 3M, the Third Circuit decided the first case at the federal appellate court level that dealt with the subject of bundled discounts by a monopolist under Section 2 of the Sherman Act in the period following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brooke Group Ltd. v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation. Prior to the decision in Brooke Group, the Third Circuit had only once before addressed this topic in Smithkline Corp. v. Eli Lilly and Company. Smithkline is only significant because it nearly suggested that any bundled discount, regardless of whether above or below cost, was anti-competitive. …

The Dual Purpose Of The American Jobs Creation Act Of 2004, Dennis J. Kokenos

ExpressO

The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 claims to help bring offshore investments back to the United States. In reality, the AJCA does much more. The AJCA of 2004 makes adjustments to the U.S. tax code which helps bring the U.S. in line with existing international trade obligations as well as stimulating the U.S economy.

A Comparison Analysis Between The Standards Used In The Dneiper River Basin Clean-Up And European Union Legislation, Hannah H. Naumoff-Dulski

ExpressO

A recent case study involved the clean-up efforts of the Dnieper River Basin by three countries, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. The objective of the study was to provide a method for the identification, assessment, and prioritization of the most significant sources of pollution based on their impacts and characteristics. Herein, the standards employed in the Dnieper case study are comparatively analyzed against the relevant EU directives. The purpose in doing so was to determine if the standards employed in this project could serve as a benchmark for the necessary environmental regulations that would be required if these three countries were …

“The (Cisg) Road Less Travelled”: Case Comment On Grecon Dimter Inc. V. J.R. Normand Inc., Antonin I. Pribetic

ExpressO

At first glance, the Supreme Court of Canada's recent decision in GreCon Dimter Inc. v. J.R. Normand Inc. appears to be a case upholding the primacy of international commercial arbitration, choice of forum and choice of law clauses. Upon closer scrutiny, however, the Supreme Court of Canada failed to consider the application of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) to the overall dispute. Interestingly, the same choice of forum and choice of law clauses were considered by the United States Court of Appeals a year earlier in GreCon Dimter, Incorporated v. Horner Flooring Company, …

The Shari'a Factor In International Commercial Arbitration, Faisal M. Kutty

ExpressO

The world has witnessed a phenomenal growth in commercial disputes transcending national borders due to our increasingly interrelated and globalized world economy. In addition to issues in interpretation of commercial agreements and practices, differences in custom, language, culture and religion will continue to fuel conflicts and disagreements between commercial players. Over the last few decades there have been growing commercial interaction between Western companies and their Middle Eastern counterparts. Given this interaction and the great geo-political and economic importance of this region, it is imperative that Western lawyers and dispute resolution professionals have a reasonable grasp of the general principles …

Human Rights Claims Vs. The State: Is Sovereignty Really Eroding?, Chandra L. Sriram

ExpressO

It is often argued that the increase in agreements, specialized courts, and litigation protecting human rights or responding to past abuses of human rights has begun to erode sovereignty. Contrary to traditional principles of non-interference in internal affairs, it is argued, genuine protection of human rights involves an invasion of the sovereign preserve of the state. While many examples might be adduced in support of this claim, ranging from the ad hoc criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda to the European Court of Human Rights, this article examines two types of transnational procedures: civil accountability through the use …

"Anticipatory Self-Defense" And Other Stories, Jeanne M. Woods, James M. Donovan

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

We argue that the specious justification for the invasion of Iraq -- a war based on a pretext of anticipatory self-defense -- necessarily exacerbates the inherent tendency of war to dehumanize and humiliate the enemy. This tendency is particularly evident in the variant of anticipatory self-defense that we have denominated as "capacity preemption," a type of claim that by definition depends upon characterizations of the opponent as utterly inhuman.

The Bush Doctrine tells a timeless story of self-defense. This story is shaped by an identifiable and predictable narrative structure, one that is able to transform the morally outrageous -- an …

Recalibrating The War On Terror By Enhancing Development Practices In The Middle East, Kevin J. Fandl

ExpressO

This research paper suggests that the cart has been placed before the horse, that democratization and open markets in the Middle East are more likely the result of effective development than the catalyst for it. The war on terror has been justified by the United States as an effective means of reducing the possibility of terrorist attacks. This paper analyzes the validity of those justifications by reviewing the linkage between democracy and economic growth and that between democracy and peace.

The paper begins by hypothesizing that the war on terror and forced democratization of the Middle East are leading to …

Jurisdictional Competition In The European Community, Seth B. Chertok

ExpressO

The main purpose of this article is to analyze how four company law cases (Daily Mail, Centros, Uberseering, and Inspire Art) in the European Community have expanded the Freedom of Establishment to potentially open the door to corporate jurisdictional competition in the European Community, similar to the sort that exists in the United States through the Delaware effect. However, in Europe, this type of jurisdictional competition has traditionally been thought of as undesirable, particularly in certain Member States such as Germany that have co-determination and minimum capital requirements. These Member States have continued to adhere to the real seat and …

Preparing For Cafta-Dr: The Need Of Commercial Law Reform In Central America, Omar E. Garcia-Bolivar

ExpressO

This article explores the policies, laws and institutions that may prevent Central American States from exploiting the opportunities provided by the CAFTA-DR. In that sense, we examine several of the legal factors that appear to be important in determining economic growth as they apply to the commercial legal conditions of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

A Tale Of Three Nations?: The Role Of United Nations Peacekeepers And Missions On The Concept Of Nation-State, Nationalism, And Ownership Of The State In Lebanon, The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, And Kosovo, Alexandra R. Harrington

ExpressO

The concept of nationalism of ideology and shared values has existed since Biblical times, and has only become more prominent in societal structure in the centuries which have followed . Many attempts to define what is and is not nationalism have been made throughout history, yet despite these attempts there is no perfect formula for what gives rise to nationalism or what makes a nation-state and how to create it. However, at its core a nation is made of people, and all nations, regardless of organization, ideology, or ethnicity, turn to law to control – if not shape – their …

Transparency In Global Merger Review: A Limited Role For The Wto?, Keith R. Fisher

ExpressO

This article identifies certain problems faced by parties to transnational merger transactions in view of the global proliferation in recent years of competition (and, specifically, merger review) laws. After considering the pros and cons of merger remedies (both structural and behavioral) that may be offered to mitigate potentially anticompetitive effects and illustrating (through a case study of the GE/Honeywell transaction) the pitfalls of divergent market definition even as between two legal regimes employing substantially similar standards, the article reviews and critiques proposals for establishing a supranational competition authority under the aegis of the World Trade Organization. While rejecting the WTO …

Restorative Justice, Slavery And The American Soul, A Policy-Oriented Approach To The Question Of Slavery Reparations By The United States, Michael F. Blevins

ExpressO

This LL.M. Intercultural Human Rights thesis (May, 2005), awarded the best student paper prize for 2005 by the Institute of Policy Sciences at Yale University (in October, 2005), after analysing past and curent issues regarding the culture wars controversy of "reparations", proposes a specific process for establishing Truth and Reconciliation regarding the legacy of slavery in the United States. The proposal recommends commissions in each Federal judicial district under the supervision of a U.S. Slavery Justice and Reconciliation Commission (USSJRC), calling for "America's 21st Century Contract with Africa and African-Americans".

Resurrection From Babel: The Cultural, Political, And Legal Status Of Christian Communities In Lebanon And Syria And Their Prospects For The Future, Alexandra R. Harrington

ExpressO

In the well-known Biblical story, the faithful, attempting to create a place of unity for themselves, set about building the Tower of Babel, only to see the Tower implode due to linguistic differences and power assertions. Thousands of years later, the world is still plagued by sectarian strife and warfare. Indeed, the situation has only become more involved since Babel, as there are now inter-communal and intra-communal conflicts for supremacy and superiority – a notable difference in these conflicts is that the ultimate tool of getting to Heaven is no longer a tower, it is now a state. Within the …