“International Law and the Public: How Ordinary People Shape the Global Legal Order” examines an important, and often underappreciated, actor in international law.
Written by Geoffrey Wallace, professor of political science at the UW, the book is of interdisciplinary interest due to its combination of constitutional and international law theories and a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data.
When considering who counts in the international legal order, most answers focus on governments, leaders, generals, lawyers or other elites. Wallace integrates insights from law and political behavior to advance the idea of “popular international law,” where ordinary people are considered important legal actors.
“Drawing on a blend of experiments, conventional polling, media coverage and historical cases, this book shows the ways in which national publics can have an impact on core functions of international law,” Wallace said. “Insights from the book offer an account of international legal politics from below — taking seriously the place of ordinary people in international affairs.
This book breaks new ground by focusing on individuals as active participants in its implementation, making it a valuable contribution to the existing monographic literature on this topic. Recommended for libraries with international law collections.
Choice
Wallace’s book should be required reading for all students and scholars interested in international cooperation and international law.
Brett Ashley Leeds, Rice University
To argue that it is not just democratic institutions but the people themselves that enforce international law is a bold and important statement. Where others have assumed public opinion matters, this book has shown it.
Emily Ritter, Vanderbilt University
