International Law

Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict

International Law

	International Law International law is the attempt to manage conflict between countries. Though enforcement is difficult, international norms are strong enough to exact compliance in most (but far from all) cases.
	Rule of Law Particularly since the end of the Cold War, the rule of law has increasingly been recognized as an important aspect of international conflict resolution and post-conflict peace building. Similarly, the absence of the rule of law is often implicated as a source of violence, human rights violations, and intractability.
	Jus ad Bellum Jus ad Bellum, or Just War Theory, is a set of principles used to justify the use of violence.
	Jus in Bello The rules of Jus in Bello (or justice in war) serve as guidelines for fighting well once war has begun.
	Rights The spread of international human rights has helped fulfill basic human needs and reduce suffering. However, framing disputes in terms of absolute rights that cannot be compromised can contribute to a conflict's intractability.
	Sovereignty However, sovereignty is also one of the most misunderstood concepts in international relations, in part because its definition is changing and the political and conflict resolution implications are significant.

People try nonviolence for a week and when it doesn't 'work' they go back to violence, which hasn't worked for centuries. -- Theodore Roszak

Featured Links
Organizations Making Noteworthy Contributions to Efforts to Promote More Constructive Conflict

The Albert Einstein Institution
An organization devoted to the study and application of nonviolent action in conflicts around the world.

Other Resources from
Beyond Intractability

Peacebuilding Checklist: For Adversaries

Peacebuilding Checklist: Adversaries
A list of things to think about if you are involved in a difficult or damaging conflict.

Nobel Peace Prize Winners

Willy Brandt
Former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, and 1971 Nobel Peace Laureate

Beyond Intractability Version IV
Copyright © 2003-2007 The Beyond Intractability Project
Beyond Intractability is a Registered Trademark of the University of Colorado
Project Acknowledgements

The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project
Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess, Co-Directors and Editors
c/o Conflict Information Consortium (Formerly Conflict Research Consortium), University of Colorado
Campus Box 580, Boulder, CO 80309
Phone: (303) 492-1635; Fax: (303) 492-2154; Contact