The New Terrain of International Law: Courts, Politics, Rights

Centre for International Studies Podcasts

Karen Alter (Northwestern University) discusses her new book 'The New Terrain of International Law: Courts, Politics, Rights'. In 1989, when the Cold War ended, there were six permanent international courts. Today there are more than two dozen that have collectively issued over thirty-seven thousand binding legal rulings. 'The New Terrain of International Law' charts the developments and trends in the creation and role of international courts, and explains how the delegation of authority to international judicial institutions influences global and domestic politics. Karen J. Alter is professor of political science and law at Northwestern University and a permanent visiting professor at the iCourts Center of Excellence, University of Copenhagen School of Law.