International law and the politics of diplomacy

Abstract

Diplomacy is the social practice by which states interact with other states. It takes place in the medium of international law as states use international law to explain and justify their policies to other states and other audiences and to understand them themselves. It is clear to see that in practice, states invoke law to strengthen their positions relative to other states by constructing justifications that situate their policies and preferences as consistent with international laws and norms. This is a ubiquitous practice in contemporary international politics. It can also be used to inform a theory of diplomacy as the intersection of international law and international politics.

Identifiers

DOI

10.1017/cbo9781316162903.002

Citations and references