This focused collection of essays on various aspects of the law of treaties does justice to its honoree, scholar and author Professor Bert E.W. Vierdag, on the occasion of his retirement as Professor of International Law and International Relations at the University of Amsterdam. Written by leading academics in the field as well as practitioners and former practitioners, the essays cover: - the alignment of treaties with more general sources doctrine, addressing such issues as conflicts between various types of treaties and the relationship between treaties and customary international law, and between treaties and domestic law; - the emergence of treaty norms through various ways and methods; and - the creation of treaty law in several branches of international law. This cohesive, focused, expert work will assist and appeal to both academics in the fields of public law and political science and professionals engaged in international negotiations and treaty-making.

The first treaty that was made was between the earth and the sky. It was an agreement to work together. We build all of our treaties on that original treaty. On the banks of the river that have been Mishomis’s home his whole life, he teaches his granddaughter to listen—to hear both the sounds and the silences, and so to learn her place in Creation. Most importantly, he teaches her about treaties—the bonds of reciprocity and renewal that endure for as long as the sun shines, the grass grows, and the rivers flow. Accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Luke Swinson and an author’s note at the end, Aimée Craft affirms the importance of understanding an Indigenous perspective on treaties in this evocative book that is essential for readers of all ages.

This guide is an authoritative reference point for anyone interested in the creation or interpretation of treaties and other forms of international agreement. It covers the rules and practices surrounding their making, interpretation, and operation, and uses hundreds of real examples to illustrate different approaches treaty-makers can take.