Critical Approaches to International Law

Abstract

This article critically examines the two major veins of the existing critical approaches in international law, namely, the progressive approach and the political economy approach – as offered by the commodity-form theory. International law theory is now witnessing the rise of what has been called the ‘New Stream’ of international law scholarship composed of critical perspectives. The ‘New Stream’ writers stand as part of a broader movement in contemporary legal theory commonly known as Critical Legal Studies. The political economy approach draws on the pioneering jurisprudence of Evgeny Pashukanis, linking law to commodity exchange, and in turn uses international law to make better sense of commodity-form theory.

Keywords

International Law, Political Economy, Progressive Approach, Method, Jurisprudence.

Citation

Çelebi, Hürkan and Özdemir, Ali Murat, “Critical Approaches to International Law”, International Relations, Volume 7, Issue 25 (Spring 2010), pp. 69-90.

Affiliations

• Hürkan Çelebi, Dr., Hacettepe University, Department of International Relations
• Ali Murat Özdemir, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Hacettepe University, Department of International Relations