The exact legacies of the two Hague Peace Conferences remain unclear. On the one hand, diplomatic and military historians, who cast their gaze to 1914, traditionally dismiss the events of 1899 and 1907 as insignificant footnotes on the path to the First World War. On the other, experts in international law posit that The Hague’s foremost legacy lies in the manner in which the conferences progressed the law of war and the concept and application of international justice. This volume brings together some of the latest scholarship on the legacies of the Hague Peace Conferences in a comprehensive volume, drawing together an international team of contributors.

outside the continent. --Book Jacket.

The book is the successor of the authors monumental and ASIL Award-winning commemorative books on the International Court of Justice (1996) and the First Hague Peace Conference (1999). The present publication links its two predecessors in bridging the gap between that first seminal gathering of the nations in The Hague in 1899 and the institutionalization of the international judicature in 1922. The book presents a comprehensive overview of the first ever and unique diplomatic gathering of the self-acclaimed Civilized World prior to the cataclysm of WWI. In its essentially interdisciplinary approach it offers insights into the complex political backdrop, the vexing legal challenges faced and the social atmosphere of the Conference. All this is enlightened with authentic source material and illustrated with pictures that captivate the world of the Belle Epoque. This book offers - A Sweeping Panorama of the Period - A Rich Analysis of the Conventions - Scores of Excerpts from Speeches of Delegates - A Captivating Review of the Social Entourage - A Dazzling Display of Photographs - Historical Documents and Cartoons

This book comprises contributions by leading experts in the field of international humanitarian law on the subject of the categorisation or classification of armed conflict. It is divided into two sections: the first aims to provide the reader with a sound understanding of the legal questions surrounding the classification of hostilities and its consequences; the second includes ten case studies that examine practice in respect of classification. Understanding how classification operates in theory and practice is a precursor to identifying the relevant rules that govern parties to hostilities. With changing forms of armed conflict which may involve multi-national operations, transnational armed groups and organized criminal gangs, the need for clarity of the law is all-important. The case studies selected for analysis are Northern Ireland, DRC, Colombia, Afghanistan (from 2001), Gaza, South Ossetia, Iraq (from 2003), Lebanon (2006), the so-called war against Al-Qaeda, and future trends. The studies explore the legal consequences of classification particularly in respect of the use of force, detention in armed conflict, and the relationship between human rights law and international humanitarian law. The practice identified in the case studies allows the final chapter to draw conclusions as to the state of the law on classification.