The Law of Strangers
Jewish Lawyers and International Law in the Twentieth Century

Fourteen leading scholars explore the lives of seven of the most famous Jewish lawyers in the history of international law.

James Loeffler (Edited by), Moria Paz (Edited by)

9781107140417, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 18 July 2019

318 pages
23.5 x 15.6 x 2.2 cm, 0.59 kg

'… this book has to be welcomed by historians as well as by jurists and scholars of international law, representing for all of them a priceless source of inspiration for further research in such an important field.' G. Motta, European History Quarterly

From the Nuremberg Trials to contemporary human rights, Jews have long played prominent roles in the making of international law. But the actual ties between Jewish heritage and legal thought remain a subject of mystery and conjecture even among specialists. This volume of biographical studies takes a unique interdisciplinary approach, pairing historians and legal scholars to explore how the Jewish identities and experiences shaped their legal thought and activism. Using newly-discovered sources and sophisticated interpretative methods, this book offers an alternative history of twentieth-century international legal profession - and a new model to the emerging field of international legal biography.

1. Introduction: the law of strangers James Loeffler and Moria Paz
Part I. Hersch Zvi Lauterpacht: 2. The 'natural right of the Jewish people': Zionism, international law, and the paradox of Hersch Lauterpacht James Loeffler
3. A closet positivist: Lauterpacht between law and diplomacy Martti Koskeniemmi
Part II. Hans Kelsen: 4. Assimilation through law: Hans Kelsen and the Jewish experience Eliav Lieblich
5. Philosophy beyond historicism: reflections on Hans Kelsen and the Jewish experience Leora Batnitzky
Part III. Louis Henkin: 6. Louis Henkin, human rights, and American-Jewish constitutional patriotism Samuel Moyn
7. Louis Henkin and the genealogy of Jewish/American liberalism William Forbath
Part IV. Egon Schwelb: 8. Egon Schwelb and the human rights legal activism within borders Mira Siegelberg
9. 'Emotional restraint' as legalist internationalism: Egon Schwelb's liberalism after the fall Umut Özsu
Part V. René Cassin: 10. A most inglorious right: René Cassin, freedom of movement, Jews and Palestinians Moria Paz
11. There's no place like home: domicile, René Cassin, and the Aporias of modern international law Nathaniel Berman
Part VI. Shabtai Rosenne: 12. Shabtai Rosenne: the transformation of Sefton Rowson Rotem Giladi
13. Shabtai Rosenne: a personal aspect Philippe Sands
Part VII. Julius Stone: 14. Enablement and constraint: Julius Stone and the contradictions of the sociological path to international law Jacqueline Mowbray
15. An axionormative dissenter: reflections on Julius Stone David N. Myers
Index.

Subject Areas: International criminal law [LBBZ], International human rights law [LBBR], International law [LB], Legal history [LAZ], Jurisprudence & philosophy of law [LAB], Law [L], Human rights [JPVH], Jewish studies [JFSR1]