D'Aspremont on Formalism in International Law

Formalism and the Sources of International Law: Introduction

Jean D'Aspremont

University of Amsterdam



EXCERPT FROM FORMALISM AND INTERNATIONAL LAW - A THEORY OF THE ASCERTAINMENT OF LEGAL RULES, Oxford University Press, 2011


Abstract:     
This paper constitutes the introduction of the monograph 'Formalism and the Sources of International Law - A Theory of the Ascertainment of Legal Rules' (OUP, 2011). It sketchs out the argument made in the book according to which, if sufficiently rejuvenated, formalism can still be a useful tool to ascertain international legal rules and distinguish law from non-law. To do so, formalism must be grounded in the (ever-evolving) social practice of international law-applying authorities to the extent that the latter can produce sufficient communitarian semantics for the sake of law-identification. The possibility of formal law-identification criteria however presupposes a move away from the mainstream theory of sources of international law as well as a broad conception of what constitutes 'a law-applying authority'. If so refreshed, a formal theory of sources can remain helpful in capturing the new forms of exercise of public authority at the international level.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 13

Keywords: international law, sources, formalism, international legal theory, ascertainment, law-identification, deformalization, custom, treaty, legal act, legal fact, soft law, softness, Herbert Hart, Wittgenstein, non-law, pluralization of international law-making, critical legal studies, Article 38

Accepted Paper Series 

 

Full text available at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1969795