The Character of International Law

A fascinating collection of essays on international law, humanitarian law and international criminal law viewed through the prism of the influence of the scholarship of Professor Rob Cryer.

Professor Robert Cryer was a foundational voice in modern international criminal law. This book celebrates his character, his life, his work, and his influence.

The book is a Festschrift of love and admiration to a voice that is dearly missed. Fittingly, the book also continues to voice the many conversations that Rob started. It thereby doubles as a critical examination of the life of international law.

The book constellates 17 expertly-authored chapters nurtured by 4 editors through 5 distinctive sections, each of which reflects on the character of international law. These sections, presented as acts, are: discipline and borders, (re)imagination and continuity, violence and reckoning, acoustics and storytelling, and friendship and kindness.

A wide gamut of touchpoints dovetails into a beautifully eclectic medley. These include criminal law, the law of war, music and harm, gender-based violence, nuclear weapons and artificial intelligence, law after war, the crime of aggression, drones and targets, the domestication of international law, and the role of law in inter-state relations. The book journeys to many places, including Japan, Bosnia, and Ukraine, while reflecting on the role of teaching and mentorship in the life of international law.