Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law

This book argues that the colonial confrontation was central to the formation of international law and, in particular, its founding concept, sovereignty. Traditional histories of the discipline present colonialism and non-European peoples as peripheral concerns. By contrast, Anghie argues that international law has always been animated by the 'civilizing mission' - the project of governing non-European peoples, and that the economic exploitation and cultural subordination that resulted were constitutively significant for the discipline.

In developing these arguments, the book examines different phases of the colonial encounter, ranging from the sixteenth century to the League of Nations period and the current 'war on terror'. Anghie provides a new approach to the history of international law, illuminating the enduring imperial character of the discipline and its continuing importance for peoples of the Third World. This book will be of interest to students of international law and relations, history, post-colonial studies and development studies.

• Is the only book to offer an in-depth examination of the relationship between imperialism and international law and the enduring consequences of this for the peoples of the Third World
• Suggests a new approach to the history of international law, seeking to displace established Eurocentric approaches that have prevailed for centuries
• Covers different aspects of the history of international law, ranging from the fifteenth century and the League of Nations period to the current ‘war against terror’