body of rules governing relations between states, international organizations, and increasingly, individuals
sources: treaties, customary international law, general principles, judicial decisions
foundational instruments
- UN Charter (1945): prohibition on use of force, sovereign equality, collective security
- Geneva Conventions (1949): laws of armed conflict, protection of civilians and prisoners
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): baseline moral framework for state behavior
domains: law of the sea, space law, trade law (WTO), environmental law, humanitarian law, criminal law (ICC)
enforcement challenge: relies on state consent, reciprocity, and institutional pressure rather than centralized coercion
Westphalian system: sovereignty of states as the organizing principle
emerging frontier: governance of cyberspace, AI regulation, digital jurisdiction
network state communities will eventually require recognition under international legal frameworks
see also treaty, diplomacy, sovereignty, human rights, common law, civil law