The ^AAssault on International Law

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The ^AAssault on International Law is written by Jens David Ohlin and published by Oxford University Press. It's available with International Standard Book Number or ISBN identification 0199987424 (ISBN 10) and 9780199987429 (ISBN 13).

In recent years, a group of high-profile scholars have attacked the very concept of international law. They argue that since states are motivated primarily by self-interest, compliance with international law is nothing more than high-minded talk. In The Assault on International Law, Jens David Ohlin exposes the mistaken assumptions of these "New Realists," in particular their utilization of rational choice theory. In contrast, he provides an alternate vision of international law based on an innovative theory of human rationality. According to Ohlin, rationality requires that agents follow through on their plans and commitments even when faced with opportunities for defection. Seen in this light, international law is the product of nation-states cooperating to escape a brutish State of Nature-a result that is not only legally binding but also in each state's self-interest.