In this concise introduction to international law, students gain a clear appreciation for how politics shapes the development of international law, and how international law shapes political relations between states. Throughout the book, Rochester takes this complex subject and makes it accessible with his vibrant, easy-to-read prose.

After exploring the parameters of international law—its intrinsic challenges and the various approaches to it—Rochester then examines its five major sectors— the law of the sea, airspace, and outer space; human rights; war and peace; states and markets; and the environment—all through the lens of international relations theory. Students will appreciate numerous pedagogical features, such as instructive case studies, photos and cartoons, discussion questions, and—new to this edition—an "International Law in Action" box, which uses real-world cases to flesh out the inner workings of international law.

Thoroughly revised and updated, this second edition includes coverage of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the military intervention in Libya, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the global economic recession. Based on reviewer feedback, the author reorganized several chapters, bringing coverage of jurisdiction to the forefront in order to better set the stage for subsequent chapters. With updates to all of the book's data, factual information, and hundreds of endnotes, Rochester presents the latest IL scholarship in a clear and straightforward manner.

Thoroughly revised and updated, this second edition includes coverage of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the military intervention in Libya, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the global economic recession. Based on reviewer feedback, the author reorganized several chapters, bringing coverage of jurisdiction to the forefront in order to better set the stage for subsequent chapters. With updates to all of the book’s data, factual information, and hundreds of endnotes, Rochester presents the latest IL scholarship in a clear and straightforward manner.

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Part I. Introduction: Putting International Law in Proper Perspective, or Putting Your Legal Prototypes Aside

1. International Law and International Politics

2. The Great Paradigm Debate: Realism, Idealism, and Other Schools

3. Is International Law Really Law, Or a Charade?

Part II. International Law at Work: Shooting Pool and Pooling Sovereignty

4. Jurisdiction: The Allocation of Legal Competences Over Places and Persons on Land, at Sea, in the Air and Outer Space

5. Human Rights: What Happened to Sovereignty?

6. War and Peace: Do We Need New Rules for an Old Problem?

7. International Economic Relations and International Law: Regulating States and Markets

8. International Environmental Law: Protecting the Biosphere

Part III. Conclusion: A Summation of the Argument

9. The Future of International Politics, International Law, and Global Governance

J. Martin Rochester is professor of political science at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, where he has taught courses on international politics and international law since 1972. His books include Waiting for the Millennium: The United Nations and the Future of World Order and Between Two Epochs: What's Ahead for America, the World, and Global Politics in the 21st Century? He has been published in such scholarly journals as the American Political Science Review, International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, and the Journal of Peace Research. Rochester is a recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at UM–St. Louis, and in 2001 he was named a Distinguished Teaching Professor by the University’s Board of Curators.

Student and Instructor Resources Available — www.cqpress.com/cs/Rochester

Want full text of cases and treaties?
A companion website offers an annotated case list with links to the cases and treaties mentioned and analyzed throughout the text. This case list, along with a compilation of resources for further research, can also be found in the book’s appendix.

Moot Court Simulation: The Great Tuna Boat Chase
Also on the book’s website, instructors can find a hypothetical case based on a skirmish between U.S. fishing boats and Ecuadorian military gunboats in a dispute of territorial vs. international waters. Rochester offers guidelines for setting up and overseeing mock legal proceedings for this fun and enlightening “tuna boat” case in your classroom.