Critical Examination of International Law Theories

Adama Aloysious Gross

doi:10.56893/pajes2024v05i02.02

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September 25, 2024

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December 26, 2024

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Abstract

This paper examines the complex web of international law and various theories that address its creation, evolution, and usage. This paper critically evaluates many theories to understand what state sovereignty entails, the role played by international institutions, and how compliance has been enforced. By scrutinizing these theories, this paper endeavors to reveal the epistemological structures that underpin the evolution of the science of international law, which may contribute to clarifying the topical discourse concerning the legitimacy, effectiveness, and malleability of the discipline in the context of modern global processes. Glass adventure is initiated by analyzing natural law theory to investigate the presence of universal norms that apply to all inhabitants of the world within the sphere of human relations. The paper then moves to positivist theories, focusing on the state’s consent and formal sources of law as pillars of international legal duties. Moreover, the paper analyzes the realist, fictional, and functional theories of international law. This analysis aims to advance the knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings that influence the development of international law in the modern global environment.

Keywords

International Law, Positivist Theory Fictional Theory Realist Theory Natural Theory

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Author Biography

Adama Aloysious Gross, Adventist University of West Africa, Liberia

Adama Aloysious Gross currently serves as the dean of the Dave Wiegley College of Business and Public Administration at the Adventist University of West Africa. He is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Babcock University in Nigeria, specializing in International Law and Diplomacy. Mr. Gross conducts research in governance, politics, international law, and diplomacy.

How to Cite

Gross, A. A. (2024). Critical Examination of International Law Theories. Pan-African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 5(2), 18–27. https://doi.org/10.56893/pajes2024v05i02.02

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References

Albrecht, H. (2021). Multi-cultural societies and criminal law: How to accommodate cultural diversity? In Legal Theory and Interpretation in a Dynamic Society, 335-362. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748925842
Andersen, E. (2022). Non-governmental organizations as international law's diplomats. Research Handbook on Law and Diplomacy, 191-207. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781789908473.00021
Angier T, Benson, I.T., Retter, M.D. (2020). Natural law and the origins of human rights. In: The Cambridge Handbook of natural law and human rights. Cambridge Law Handbooks. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bauman, R. W. (2021). International law. Critical Legal Studies, 151-157.
Billet, B. L. (2007). Introduction: Universal human rights versus cultural relativism. Cultural Relativism in the Face of the West, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-11913-1_1
Bowring, B. (2019). Critical legal theory and international law. Research Handbook on Critical Legal Theory. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781786438898.00034
Britannica Encyclopaedia (2023). Natural law. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/natural-law
Charles, J. D. (2017). Natural law and religious freedom: The role of moral first things in grounding and protecting the first freedom. Routledge.
d’Aspremont, J. (2022). The custom-making moment in customary international law. In P. Merkouris, J. Kammerhofer, & N. Arajärvi (Eds.), The theory, practice, and interpretation of customary international law (pp. 29–39). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dimock, S. (1999). The natural law theory of St. Thomas Aquinas. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2197761
Dixon, M. (2013). Textbook on international law. Oxford University Press
Durkee, M. J., Shlomo Agon, S., & Saliternik, M. (2023). How does international law change? Theories and concepts of legal change. Proceedings of the ASIL Annual Meeting, 117, 247-253. https://doi.org/10.1017/amp.2023.73
Franklin, C. N. (2023). A legal cultural “Take” on the legal system of England and Wales. Handbook on Legal Cultures, 327-388. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27745-0_10
Gaeta, P., Viñuales, J. E., & Zappalà, S. (2020). Individuals and other legal subjects. Cassese's International Law, 156-178. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780199231287.003.0008
Garg, R. (2020). International law: Meaning and definitions. Retrieved from https://blog.ipleaders.in/international-law-meaning-definitions/
Gross, A. A. (2024). International law and diplomacy: a sine qua non of global peace? ISSRA Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies, 3(1), pp 1-5, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10692896
Henriksen, A. (2023). The actors in the international legal system. International Law, 59-81. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780192870087.003.0004
Hernández, G. (2019). States as subjects of international law. 105-130. Oxford University Press
Hernández, G. (2022). States as subjects of international law. International Law, 115-143. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780192848260.003.0005
Hovell, D. (2022). The elements of international legal positivism. Current Legal Problems, 75(1), pp. 71–109, https://doi.org/10.1093/clp/cuac003
Janis, M. W. (1984). Jeremy Bentham and the fashioning of international law. American Journal of International Law, 78(2): 405–418. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0002930000208713
Jenks, C. W. (2017). The legal personality of international organizations. In international legal personality (pp. 229-238). Routledge.
Kennedy, D., & Klare, K.E. (1984). A bibliography of Critical Legal Studies. The Yale Law Journal, pp. 461. https://www.jstor.org/stable/796234
Klabbers, J. (2020). International law. Cambridge University Press.
Kokott, J. (2011). States, sovereign equality. Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, 9, 571-585. https://opil.ouplaw.com/display/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e1113
Korowicz, M. S. (1959). Individuals as subjects of international law. Introduction to International Law, 325-389. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-9226-2_9
Kosik, K. (2021). Karel Kosík and the dialectics of the concrete. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004503243_013
Lears, T. J. (1985). The concept of cultural hegemony: Problems and possibilities. The American Historical Review, 90(3) pp. 567-593. https://doi.org/10.2307/1860957
Lee, H. E. & Lee, S. (2010). Positivism in international law: State sovereignty, self-determination, and alternative perspectives. Retrieved from https://brill.com/downloadpdf/book/edcoll/9789004379695/BP000002.xml
Musoke, G. (2023). Subjects of international law and the theories pursuant thereto. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374976938_subjects_of_international_law_and_the_theories_pursuant_thereto
Nicholson, R. (2019). Introduction. Statehood and the State-Like in International Law, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198851219.003.0001
Nussbaum, M. (2019). The cosmopolitan tradition: A noble but flawed ideal. Harvard University Press.
Oloyede, A. (2021). A critical analysis of the exact scope and nature of state practice and opinio juris in the determination of customary international law. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3990326
Orakhelashvili, A. (2001). The position of the individual in international law. California Western International Law Journal, 31(2) 241.
Pan, K. (2024). General principles of law as a basis for procedural rules of international organizations. Chinese Journal of International Law. https://doi.org/10.1093/chinesejil/jmae009
Parfitt, R., & Craven, M. (2018). Statehood, self-determination and recognition. In: Evans, Malcolm D., ed. International Law. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 177-226. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780198791836.001.0001
Pavel, C. E. (2021). The international rule of law. Law beyond the State, 86-110. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197543894.003.0004
Saaida, M. B. E. (2023). The Role of Culture and Identity in International Relations. East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences 4(1)49-57. Doi: https://doi.org/10.46606/eajess2022v03i06.0255
Scobbie, I. (2010). Wicked heresies or legitimate perspectives? Theory and international law. International Law, 58-92. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780199565665.003.0003
Shaw, M. (2023). International law. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/international-law
Udich, J. (2022). Who forges the tools? Language and Legal Interpretation in International Law, 76-94. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190855208.003.0005
United Nations. (1949). Draft declaration on rights and duties of states with commentaries. https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/2_1_1949.pdf
Von Hein, J. (2021). Cultural identity and private international law. In Legal Theory and Interpretation in a Dynamic Society, 149-168. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748925842
Warburton, E. (2023). Private nationalism and state developmentalism. Resource Nationalism in Indonesia, 176-192. https://doi.org/10.7591/cornell/9781501771965.003.0008

References

Albrecht, H. (2021). Multi-cultural societies and criminal law: How to accommodate cultural diversity? In Legal Theory and Interpretation in a Dynamic Society, 335-362. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748925842

Andersen, E. (2022). Non-governmental organizations as international law's diplomats. Research Handbook on Law and Diplomacy, 191-207. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781789908473.00021

Angier T, Benson, I.T., Retter, M.D. (2020). Natural law and the origins of human rights. In: The Cambridge Handbook of natural law and human rights. Cambridge Law Handbooks. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Bauman, R. W. (2021). International law. Critical Legal Studies, 151-157.

Billet, B. L. (2007). Introduction: Universal human rights versus cultural relativism. Cultural Relativism in the Face of the West, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-11913-1_1

Bowring, B. (2019). Critical legal theory and international law. Research Handbook on Critical Legal Theory. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781786438898.00034

Britannica Encyclopaedia (2023). Natural law. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/natural-law

Charles, J. D. (2017). Natural law and religious freedom: The role of moral first things in grounding and protecting the first freedom. Routledge.

d’Aspremont, J. (2022). The custom-making moment in customary international law. In P. Merkouris, J. Kammerhofer, & N. Arajärvi (Eds.), The theory, practice, and interpretation of customary international law (pp. 29–39). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dimock, S. (1999). The natural law theory of St. Thomas Aquinas. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2197761

Dixon, M. (2013). Textbook on international law. Oxford University Press

Durkee, M. J., Shlomo Agon, S., & Saliternik, M. (2023). How does international law change? Theories and concepts of legal change. Proceedings of the ASIL Annual Meeting, 117, 247-253. https://doi.org/10.1017/amp.2023.73

Franklin, C. N. (2023). A legal cultural “Take” on the legal system of England and Wales. Handbook on Legal Cultures, 327-388. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27745-0_10

Gaeta, P., Viñuales, J. E., & Zappalà, S. (2020). Individuals and other legal subjects. Cassese's International Law, 156-178. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780199231287.003.0008

Garg, R. (2020). International law: Meaning and definitions. Retrieved from https://blog.ipleaders.in/international-law-meaning-definitions/

Gross, A. A. (2024). International law and diplomacy: a sine qua non of global peace? ISSRA Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies, 3(1), pp 1-5, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10692896

Henriksen, A. (2023). The actors in the international legal system. International Law, 59-81. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780192870087.003.0004

Hernández, G. (2019). States as subjects of international law. 105-130. Oxford University Press

Hernández, G. (2022). States as subjects of international law. International Law, 115-143. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780192848260.003.0005

Hovell, D. (2022). The elements of international legal positivism. Current Legal Problems, 75(1), pp. 71–109, https://doi.org/10.1093/clp/cuac003

Janis, M. W. (1984). Jeremy Bentham and the fashioning of international law. American Journal of International Law, 78(2): 405–418. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0002930000208713

Jenks, C. W. (2017). The legal personality of international organizations. In international legal personality (pp. 229-238). Routledge.

Kennedy, D., & Klare, K.E. (1984). A bibliography of Critical Legal Studies. The Yale Law Journal, pp. 461. https://www.jstor.org/stable/796234

Klabbers, J. (2020). International law. Cambridge University Press.

Kokott, J. (2011). States, sovereign equality. Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, 9, 571-585. https://opil.ouplaw.com/display/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e1113

Korowicz, M. S. (1959). Individuals as subjects of international law. Introduction to International Law, 325-389. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-9226-2_9

Kosik, K. (2021). Karel Kosík and the dialectics of the concrete. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004503243_013

Lears, T. J. (1985). The concept of cultural hegemony: Problems and possibilities. The American Historical Review, 90(3) pp. 567-593. https://doi.org/10.2307/1860957

Lee, H. E. & Lee, S. (2010). Positivism in international law: State sovereignty, self-determination, and alternative perspectives. Retrieved from https://brill.com/downloadpdf/book/edcoll/9789004379695/BP000002.xml

Musoke, G. (2023). Subjects of international law and the theories pursuant thereto. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374976938_subjects_of_international_law_and_the_theories_pursuant_thereto

Nicholson, R. (2019). Introduction. Statehood and the State-Like in International Law, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198851219.003.0001

Nussbaum, M. (2019). The cosmopolitan tradition: A noble but flawed ideal. Harvard University Press.

Oloyede, A. (2021). A critical analysis of the exact scope and nature of state practice and opinio juris in the determination of customary international law. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3990326

Orakhelashvili, A. (2001). The position of the individual in international law. California Western International Law Journal, 31(2) 241.

Pan, K. (2024). General principles of law as a basis for procedural rules of international organizations. Chinese Journal of International Law. https://doi.org/10.1093/chinesejil/jmae009

Parfitt, R., & Craven, M. (2018). Statehood, self-determination and recognition. In: Evans, Malcolm D., ed. International Law. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 177-226. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780198791836.001.0001

Pavel, C. E. (2021). The international rule of law. Law beyond the State, 86-110. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197543894.003.0004

Saaida, M. B. E. (2023). The Role of Culture and Identity in International Relations. East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences 4(1)49-57. Doi: https://doi.org/10.46606/eajess2022v03i06.0255

Scobbie, I. (2010). Wicked heresies or legitimate perspectives? Theory and international law. International Law, 58-92. https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780199565665.003.0003

Shaw, M. (2023). International law. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/international-law

Udich, J. (2022). Who forges the tools? Language and Legal Interpretation in International Law, 76-94. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190855208.003.0005

United Nations. (1949). Draft declaration on rights and duties of states with commentaries. https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/2_1_1949.pdf

Von Hein, J. (2021). Cultural identity and private international law. In Legal Theory and Interpretation in a Dynamic Society, 149-168. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748925842

Warburton, E. (2023). Private nationalism and state developmentalism. Resource Nationalism in Indonesia, 176-192. https://doi.org/10.7591/cornell/9781501771965.003.0008

Critical Examination of International Law Theories

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Adama Aloysious Gross, Adventist University of West Africa, Liberia

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