The Boundaries of International Law: A Feminist Analysis

The boundaries of international law is about why issues of sex and gender matter in public international law. Its central argument is that the absence of women in the development of international law has produced a narrow and inadequate jurisprudence that has legitimated the unequal position of women world-wide rather than confronted it. The aim is to encourage a rethinking of the discipline of international law so that it can offer a more useful framework for international and national justice. The authors provide a feminist perspective on the structure, processes and substance of international law. They deal with its sources, treaty law, the concept of statehood and the right of self-determination, the role of international institutions, the law of human rights, the international legal commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes and the prohibition of the use of force in international relations. They finally consider whether inclusion of women in the jurisdiction of international war crimes tribunals represents a significant shift in the boundaries of international law.