<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Today we are witnessing a fundamental shift in Public International Law (PIL) in which the number of actors increases dramatically and in which communication means power. The matrix of PIL is undergoing a major change. This change is not abrupt but has to be seen in the context of the shift away from the Westphalian model of PIL since 1945. Also, globalization is not a new phenomenon, although the current era of globalization, which was made possible due to the fall of the iron curtain and recent technological developments, raises the question how to describe the emerging international legal community in terms of international legal theory. As the importance of the role of the state as an actor of international law is reduced (albeit not to a degree that the state would lose its de facto primacy among the subjects of international law), other actors are gaining ground, in particular international organizations, transnational corporations, NGOs and individuals. Today the latter not only have rights under Public International Law but are also involved in the creation of new rules of international law.</p></abstract>

Today we are witnessing a fundamental shift in Public International Law (PIL) in which the number of actors increases dramatically and in which communication means power. The matrix of PIL is undergoing a major change. This change is not abrupt but has to be seen in the context of the shift away from the Westphalian model of PIL since 1945. Also, globalization is not a new phenomenon, although the current era of globalization, which was made possible due to the fall of the iron curtain and recent technological developments, raises the question how to describe the emerging international legal community in terms of international legal theory. As the importance of the role of the state as an actor of international law is reduced (albeit not to a degree that the state would lose its de facto primacy among the subjects of international law), other actors are gaining ground, in particular international organizations, transnational corporations, NGOs and individuals. Today the latter not only have rights under Public International Law but are also involved in the creation of new rules of international law.

The Subjects of Public International Law in a Globalized World

Faculty of Law, Georg August University, Germany

Faculty of Law, Justus Liebig University, Germany

Baltic Journal of Law & Politics

{"article-title":"The Subjects of Public International Law in a Globalized World"}

Today we are witnessing a fundamental shift in Public International Law (PIL) in which the number of actors increases dramatically and in which communication...

The Subjects of Public International Law in a Globalized World

Published Online: Aug 18, 2009

Page range: 83 - 96

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10076-009-0005-9

Keywords
Globalization, transnational corporations, non-state actors, public international law, legal history, NGOs, human rights

This content is open access.

The Subjects of Public International Law in a Globalized World

Published Online: Aug 18, 2009

Page range: 83 - 96

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10076-009-0005-9

KeywordsGlobalization, transnational corporations, non-state actors, public international law, legal history, NGOs, human rights

This content is open access.

Keywords
Globalization, transnational corporations, non-state actors, public international law, legal history, NGOs, human rights