C. Clapham, AFRICA AND THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM: THE POLITICS OF STATE SURVIVAL (Cambridge, 1996: 0-521-57207-X) [340]--
     The decolonization movement of the ‘60s launched African independence--but under circumstances when the resulting States counted among the poorest and arguably the most artificial of Statelike entities in the international system.  This publication chronicles the political and economic mismanagement that followed, threatening their very existence.  The supporting international instruments were appropriated by a number of African rulers for private gain.  The author thus presents a very revealing snapshot of the encounter between African and Western, Westphalian notions of Statehood.
     Part I addresses specific African States and the impact of global politics; Part II--emerging patterns of alliance in both the post-colonial and contemporary periods; Part III--Struggling with Decay.  The causal factors, including the Soviet economic and strategic withdrawal, are succinctly presented in this useful primer for assessing the components of the regional phenomenon now depicted as "failed" States.

C. Heyns (ed.), HUMAN RIGHTS LAW IN AFRICA 1996 (Kluwer, 1996: 90-411-0287-6) [421]--
     This compilation provides, between two covers, the fundamental national human rights laws of each African nation.  It begins with a convenient two-page chart which lists ratifications of the various UN human rights treaties, followed by the full text of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.  The bulk of the book (Part III) then presents the country-by-country human rights provisions in the constitutions of all African States (translated from French, or other native language, to English).

     That is not all.  The editor has effectively assembled the relevant clauses indicating the status of the constitutional provisions spawning such rights, the essential political character of the respective States, degree of judicial independence, relation between the Stater and religion, and any stated principles regarding suspension/termination of such rights.  While the editor has not undertaken an analysis of application or interpretation, he has quite admirably assembled the key provisions on which decision-makers must rely for the "rule of law" on the African Continent-- and thus, a virtual snapshot of the region's positive law of human rights.

D. Campbell (ed.), INTERNATIONAL CIVIL PROCEDURES (Lloyd's, 1995: 1-85044- 863-9) [836]--
     This remarkable text is produced by the Center for International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria.  Lawyers may thus seek reliable guidance regarding jurisdiction, service of process, obtaining evidence, and enforcing awards--in the following countries/organizations (by chapter): Austria, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, and the institutions of the European Union.
     The excellent coverage, by lawyer contributors from each of the referenced jurisdictions, thus places a critical mass of procedural information at one's fingertips--including contact information for further details.  The Tables of Cases and the Table of Legislation, Codes and Conventions facilitate ready access via tabular compilations of the book's quite practical content.  Each chapter is chock full of citations to the sources of the various local laws, enabling both practitioners and researchers ready access to a somewhat covert concentration of legal expertise.

K. Kermeus (ed.), GENERAL REPORTS: XIV INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF COMPARATIVE LAW (Kluwer, 1996: 904-110-250-7) [991]--
     This volume publishes the work product of the 1994 International Academy of Comparative Law presentations at the Hellenic Institute of International and Foreign Law in Athens, Greece.  Thirty-four topics are contained in this collection, ranging from the comparative laws of contract, tort, civil procedure, commerical law, criminal law, public international law, financial transactions, intellectual property, environment, and the application of technology in the legal field--a mixture of English and French-language articles.
     Anyone undertaking comparative analysis will find authoritative, polished, and readable presentations on the quintessential themes in comparative law contained within this useful compilation.
Corporations

UNCTAD, WORLD INVESTMENT REPORT 1995: TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND COMPETITIVENESS (UN, 1995: 92-1-104450-2) [paper: 440]--
     The UN Conference on Trade and Development is an international focal point for information on foreign direct investment and transnational corporations.  This UNCTAD project is the annual compilation of comprehensive analyses of the interaction between transnational corporate activities and national economic performance.
     The major features of this annual issue are (1) how transnational corporations link with domestic firms to impact national economic performance in the emerging system of international production; and (2) the role that transnational corporations play in influencing the national access of certain countries to global resources and markets, and how these corporations thereby facilitate domestic economic restructuring.
Coursebooks

A. D'Amato, INTERNATIONAL LAW COURSEBOOK [hardbound: 360] & INTERNATIONAL LAW ANTHOLOGY [paper: 425] (Anderson, 1994: 0-87084-420-2)--
     Professor D'Amato has combined a textbook and its companion compilation of articles by major writers in the field of International Law, to produce an integrated approach to teaching IL at the law school level.  The text contains quotes from the relevant documents.  Thus, there is no need for a documentary supplement.  The Coursebook and Anthology are integrated, in that the former contains primary materials including cases and treaties.  The latter contains excerpts from articles and like resources, which are assigned at various points in the basic text.
     The author's essential objective is to avoid the lengthy casebook treatment which overwhelms students, opting instead for an abbreviated version of International Law--to serve as a starting off point for further study.

G. von Glahn, LAW AMONG NATIONS: AN INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW (7th ed. Allyn and Bacon, 1996: 0-205-18994-6) [734]--
     Professor von Glahn's book is the eldest of existing undergraduate international law textbooks on the active market--now in its Seventh Edition.  The major changes from the prior edition include coverage of the disintegration of the Soviet Union, international criminal law, law of the sea, UN peacekeeping forces, and recent events in the Middle East.  (The standard chapter on neutrality has been eliminated.)
     This edition retains the essentials in twenty-six distinct chapters.  Part I--Law of Nations; Part II--Subjects of International Law; Part III--Individual; Part IV--Territorial Questions; Part V-- International Transaction (diplomacy, treaties, dispute settlement, and coercion); Part VI--Armed Conflict.

R. Wallace, INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS: TEXT & MATERIALS (Street & Maxwell, 1997: 0-421-54210-1) [paper: 785]--
     The organization and content of Professor Wallace's new publication is superb.  She divides its chapters by focusing on the concrete components of contemporary human rights initiatives for protecting particularly vulnerable groups: Chapter 1--Right to Development; 2--Women; 3-- Minorities; 4--Indigenous People; 5--Children; 6--Persons with Disabilities; 7--Refugees; 8-- Migrant Workers; 9--Protection of Civilians During Hostilities; and 10--Prisoners.
     The overall picture of this terrain is quite focused: ranging from the opening discussion of global instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights--and its continuing vitality as a modern benchmark for achieving the objectives of various global, regional, and national programs.  Her final chapter (11) analyzes the impact of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna.
     Teachers should carefully examine this significant contribution to the academic literature for human rights courses.

N. Kofele-Kale, INTERNATIONAL LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR ECONOMIC CRIMES: HOLDING HEADS OF STATE AND OTHER HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS INDIVIDUALLY LIABLE FOR ACTS OF FRAUDULENT ENRICHMENT (Kluwer, 1995: 0-7923-3358-6) [372]--
     This is a unique contribution.  It is a book-length treatment of the international criminal responsibility of heads of States and other high ranking leaders.  It focuses on internal acts in developing nations, whereby authorities in a position of power use it to unjustly enrich themselves at a great cost to the local populace.  While the literature tends to address the spoliation of natural resources by transnational corporations, this work covers the legal regime applicable to the temporary custodians who abuse their power as national leaders.  Neither national law nor the traditional system of States has successfully punished those who have so enriched themselves, and even fled elsewhere, only to enjoy their ill-gotten riches in the absence of an effective international legal regime for recovering such fraudulently obtained gains.
     The author thus argues that "indigenous spoliation" constitutes a violation of International  Law, while supporting this theory by articulating a well-conceived paradigm that identifies and convincingly addresses this form of "international crime."  The expanded attention to this phenomenon, wrought by recent disclosures regarding Holocaust-related money in Swiss banks, the many cases against Ferdinand Marcos in U.S. courts, and like attempts to recover the money so generated by former national leaders strongly suggests that this book is destined to end up in every library with any significant international content.

R. Bland, THE BLACK ROBE AND THE BALD EAGLE: THE SUPREME COURT AND THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES 1789-1953 (Austin & Winfield, 1996: 1-880921-06-5) [paper: 336]--
     This book presents an extraordinary overview of the formulation of foreign policy and the evolution of the President's ability to engage the U.S. in limited wars abroad, as well as providing leadership in other foreign affairs.  It analyzes the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court's involvement in foreign affairs, in the distinct periods shaping balance of power issues involving the President's  constitutional powers.
     The author integrates case studies with socio-political factors, illustrating how decisional law does not evolve in a vacuum.  The result presents a utilitarian focus on constitutional adaptation of the Court's perspective on its mission in foreign affairs.  The reader may thus trace the impact of various crises and popular movements on judicial decision-making, from the outset of the early periods when balance of power issues began to emerge.  This book could also serve as a major text for an undergraduate Constitutional Law course, or as a supplemental reader.

W. Schabas, THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN INTERNATIONAL LAW (2nd ed. Cambridge, 1997: 0-521-58887-1) [paper: 403]--
     Having a copy of Professor Schabas' earlier and rather unique contribution to the literature in my personal library, it is a pleasure to note the arrival of his Second Edition.  This work has been revised, essentially, to analyze interim developments, including progress of the international community away from capital punishment.  The author illustrates the impact of this phenomenon in humanitarian law, European human rights law, and Inter-American developments.
     The first of two major segments of this study is the chaptered analysis of the various international instruments--the Universal Declaration, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (i.e., Second Protocol specifically outlawing the death penalty), followed by chapters on global and regional perspectives.  The second portion of the text is a convenient compilation of the provisions of various international instruments--either explicitly, or implicitly, condemning this practice.
     This publication is the primary source for any serious study of the death penalty in International Law.

F. de Varennes, LANGUAGE, MINORITIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS (Martinus Nijhoff, 1996: 90-411-0206-X) [532]--
     This study is authoritative, yet succinct--and an ideal discourse, but very direct.  The author herein provides in-depth coverage of the interplay between language and minority rights in the human rights setting.
      After a brief introduction, the first major analysis summarizes the historical evolution of discordance between language and the law.  The emergence of the nation-State cultivated legal restrictions on the language of minorities.  The author then analyzes these restrictions as they relate to freedom of expression and the prohibitions on lingual discrimination.  Given the recent U.S. Supreme Court case involving Arizona's prohibition on Spanish in public work places, one cannot help but appreciate the scope of the author's discussions of State language preferences on language, education, and citizenship.
     The second half of this book conveniently collects the relevant bilateral and multilateral treaties, as well as the declarations of the UN, regional bodies, NGOs, and other non- governmental entities on the linguistic rights of minorities.  Thus, the user may conveniently consult one source, for the most complete coverage of this subject available between two covers.

P. Kempees, A SYSTEMATIC GUIDE TO THE CASE-LAW OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1960-1994 (Martinus Nijhoff, 1996: 0-7923-3281-4) [two volumes]--
     This two-volume work will surely become the quintessential guide for unraveling the ECHR's rich history, dating from 1960 to the present.  The publisher promises that it will be updated--the first supplementary volume scheduled to appear in Spring of 1997--and followed thereafter by annual supplements.  This comprehensive and very practical guide provides the ideal reference tool for the work of the Court, now that more States are ratifying the related Convention which the Court interprets in its day-to-day operations.
     Volume One contains the case law interpretations of Articles 1 through 10.2--and Volume Two, Articles 11 through 65 plus those in the various Protocols to the Convention.  An end of volume appendix lists the Court's judgments in alphabetical order; another in chronological order.
The Convention and Protocols are conveniently set forth in the front matter of the first volume.
      The most remarkable feature of this publication is its article-by-article chronology, referring to the relevant cases that have interpreted each article in the adjacent margin.  The overall array of thoughtfully presented resources thus facilitates access to the rapidly expanding work product of this premiere international judicial institution.

D. Armstrong, L. Lloyd & J. Redmond, FROM VERSAILLES TO MAASTRICHT: INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (St. Martin's Press, 1996: 0-312-16117-4) [paper: 321]--
     This is an excellent contribution to the publisher's Making of the Twentieth Century series-- and a useful rewrite of David Armstrong's The Rise of the International Organisation: A Short History (Macmillan, 1982), retaining only the chapters on the League of Nations.
     The book is timely, because of the increased attention to international organization at the close of the Twentieth Century.  It explores the rise and role of organizations during the century which spawned two World Wars, and numerous conflicts--even after (or partially because of) the demise of the Cold War.  The politics of their creation, juxtaposed with the jealous guardianship of national sovereignty, and the resulting influence on their continued vitality are neatly integrated into this succinct but authoritative nutshell on international organization.
     This work is recommended as a reader for law school courses including--and undergraduate core courses concentrating on--international organization.

 M. Bertrand & D. Warner (ed.), A NEW CHARTER FOR A WORLDWIDE ORGANISA- TION?  (Kluwer, 1997: 90-411-0286-8) [paper: 288]--
     Some two dozen commentators presented their respective views on UN reform at a conference in Geneva in 1995, the year of the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the UN.  This publication collates their work product, so that others may access a rather significant contribution to the growing core of "reform" literature.  They examine various features of the so-called "Bertrand" proposal, designed to generate a renewed approach to international organization, and specifically oriented toward a refreshed UN.
     Its essential construct is that altered forms of threats to peace, economic security, and global development have changed the way in which the international community must respond, if there is to be an effective worldwide organization to rejuvenate (or replace) the UN.  The draft charter would, for example, eschew current approaches to maintaining peace--in favor of a host of tangibles including the "institutionalization of regular summit meetings between representatives of the main large countries and the many diverse regions of the world (p. 45)."  Others include a Global Security Council, worldwide parliament, and direct integration of the World Bank and similar economic institutions for promoting development and investment.

M. Martinez, NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZA- TIONS (Kluwer, 1996: 90-411-0200-0) [353]--
     The author has herein made a distinct contribution to the literature about the jealous guardianship of national sovereignty, as it relates to international organization.  She attentively compiles the essentials regarding the complex notion of transfer of sovereignty from States to international organizations.  This volume is a recommended addition to any collection with an international focus, and especially those with a significant dedication to international organization.
     There are three phases in this treatment of the subject: Part One: the "initial phase" on the domestic foundation for such transfers in various regions of the world, including the Africa, Eastern Europe, and the US; Part Two: the actual "transfer phase" about the impact of transfer within the organization--focusing on case studies of the UN and the European Union; and the "post-transfer phase," which examines the diverse national responses to the transfer of sovereignty.

N. White, THE LAW OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS (Manchester Univ.  Press, 1996: 0-7190-4340-9) [paper: 285]--
     Professor White's publication will be of interest to those seeking a precise but authoritative treatment of international organization for the classroom--and as an organizational nutshell, which may serve as the basis for reliable guidance when embarking upon further research.
     The author describes not only the essentials of the major international organizations, but also the fundamentals of world and regional governance during the described decline in sovereign equality.  He further undertakes a sometimes slighted component: the merits of the distinctive universal, regional, and functional approaches to international organization.  If one were to generalize, one could quite favorably characterize his focus as concentrating on the functional elements of security, human rights, and the environment.

J. Chuah, STATUTES AND CONVENTIONS ON PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW(Cavendish, 1996: 1-85941-034-0) [paper: 327]--
     This compendium of English law provides a convenient source for ascertaining which international instruments, or portions thereof, apply in England.  It will thus be useful for the practitioner who seeks guidance on many matters involving conflict of laws as applied in England, as well as anyone in need of a guidebook on relevant English practice.
     It contains a collection of the local statutes and international conventions as they apply to England.  All are alphabetically arranged, as set forth in the front matter table of contents.  It thus begins with the Administration of Justice Act's provisions regarding enforcement of judgments in the UK, and ends with the Wills Act provisions regarding the Convention on International Wills.

L. Felding, MARITIME INTERCEPTION AND U.N. SANCTIONS (Austin & Fielding, 1997: 1-57292-006-8) [paper: 368]--
     This primer replenishes the stock of law of the sea materials with its legal analysis of the embargo, maritime interception, and blockade in International Law.  These variant forms of international relations are defined and applied in the historical context (e.g., Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis) as well as in the contemporary practical context (Persian Gulf War, Former Yugoslavia, and Haiti).
     He begins by providing the scholarly background, including Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century international instruments, which have served as models for modern strategies.  These include the State practice of establishing maritime zones in hostile settings, as well as actions taken in the name of the UN Charter's self-defense provision.  Professor Felding vividly evaluates the legality of the interception and economic sanctions regimes in the various contemporary environments spawning the many issues about future expectations.  The author recommends a greater role for these related devices, as a means of implementing Security Council oversight in the post-Cold War era.

J. Duursma, FRAGMENTATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF micro-STATES: SELF-DETERMINATION AND STATEHOOD (Cambridge, 1996: 0- 521-56360-7) [461]--
     This is the second of the rich offerings in the Cambridge Studies in International and Comparative Law.  As most contemporary armed conflicts are a product of people driven by their notions of self-determination, an exhaustive study like this one is a welcomed addition to the literature examining the legal issues involving the so-called "micro-States:" Liechtenstein, San Marino, Monaco, Andorra, and the Vatican.
     But this publication is much more: it evaluates the underlying questions like "What is a "people?" "What entities should be able to secede?"  How does International Law properly define the term "State?"  She focuses on the European micro-States, endeavoring to illustrate the infrastructure of the legal regime applicable to the contemporary breakdown of sovereignty since the demise of the Cold War.

R. Lapidoth, AUTONOMY: FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS TO ETHNIC CONFLICTS (Inst.  of Peace, 1996: 1-878379-62-3) [paper: 298]--
      As separatist demands rage in more and more countries throughout the globe, one might overlook the author's essential premise: that disputes between central governments and their typically distant minority populations need not escalate into bloodshed or secession.  Autonomy may thus be perceived as an institution sufficiently flexible to simultaneously incorporate the basic drives of both national governments and indigenous minorities.
     The structure of this book consists of a dozen case studies of the author's description of autonomy in action.  Both failures and successes are noted, in her successful quest to identify the factors which must be incorporated into any peaceful resolution of "ethnic conflict."  This work would be "must" reading for any political analysis of the following arenas: Aland Islands, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, South Tyrol/Alto Adige, Faroe Islands, West Berlin, Puerto Rico, Greenland, and the Palestinian conflict.
Treaties

M. Gomma, SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF TREATIES ON GROUNDS OF BREACH (Martinus Nijhoff, 1996: 90-411-0226-4) [201]--
     This publication is a novel contribution to literature on treaty law, because of its narrow but authoritative and all-encompassing treatment.  There is a vast body of positive law "on the books;" however, many suspension/termination issues remain unresolved: When and which breaches authorize such remedies?  Is this "right" self-executing, or available only as a result of a claim successfully presented to a third-party dispute resolution body?  The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties answers some of these questions--but not all, nor as authoritatively as necessary for smooth international relations under the modern treaty regime.
     The author thus identifies the prominent ambiguities.  He begins by addressing the essential concepts of "breach" in its varied forms, then analyzing the range of consequences broadly referred to as the consequences of suspension and termination.  He incorporates the practical features of any serious study of this problem: the practice of States and the decisions of international tribunals.

M. Kaniel, THE EXCLUSIVE TREATY-MAKING POWER OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY UP TO THE PERIOD OF THE SINGLE EUROPEAN ACT (Kluwer, 1996: 90-411-0240-X) [220]--
     The process of European integration, commencing with the establishment of the European Union and evolving via the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, has not yet answered important questions about the exclusive jurisdiction of the Community to conclude treaties.  The E.C. possesses distinct international personality, of course.  However, not all features of its potential jurisdiction to conclude treaties have been unveiled by the texts of relevant treaties or judgments of the ECJ.  Put another way, to what extent does the E.C. have the exclusive jurisdiction, apart from its member nations, to act in areas where they might still retain expectations of national competence to conclude treaties?
     Commercial, agricultural, and environmental policy--as well as the ability to enter into relations with other associations or non-member States are not open to question.  But when does the E.C. effectively "occupy the field," as it commonly arises in pre-emption litigation involving the supremacy of national law over state law in federated political systems?  The arrival of this publication does not fill that legal void--but it does serve as an intelligent springboard for any decision-maker, seeking a succinct treatment that is equally authoritative and well-supported.

UN, UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON THE LAW OF TREATIES BETWEEN STATES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OR BETWEEN  INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (UN, 1995: 092-1-133464-0) [two paper volumes, totaling about 300 pages]--
     In 1995, the UN published the Official Records of the draft articles of the treaty on treaties between States and I.O.s and between I.O.s.  Volume I contains the summary of records of the plenary meetings, and the meetings of the working committee as a whole.  Volume II contains the documents of the Vienna Conference, which convened in 1986.  Researchers, national decision- makers, and practitioners may now conveniently access these materials via this compilation of documents.
United Nations

A. Bennett, HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS (Scarecrow Press, 1995) [244]--
     This useful booklet contains three compilations and four appendixes which make it a good candidate for any library hosting an international law or international organizations collection.  There is a chronology of key events, and pictures of the Secretaries-General (through Ghali), before the main "Dictionary" portion.  The bulk of the book therein provides an alphabetized collection of major events in UN history--125 pages, literally from "A" to "Z."  The following bibliography is a 36-page compendium of official publications, reference works, books and articles by subject area, etc.  The book then continues with five appendixes: the UN Charter; Universal Declaration of Human Rights; a very useful listing of UN member States (including date of membership and respective financial assessments); Presidents of the General Assembly; and Secretaries-General.

H. McCoubrey & N. White, THE BLUE HELMETS: LEGAL REGULATION OF UNITED NATIONS MILITARY OPERATIONS (Dartmouth, 1996: 1-85521-626-4) [218]--
     There have been an increasing number of allegations of misconduct by UN forces, since the demise of the Cold War and the ensuing increase in the number of UN peacekeeping (and peace- making) missions.  This book helps fill a void in the literature regarding the conduct of military operations by the UN.
     Some of the analytical problems covered in this effective treatment of the subject include the degree of consent required by the host nation for various operations, the functions and categories of internal operations of these forces, organizational problems with the in-the-field application of broad UN mandates, the laws of war traditionally thought of in their application to States, and military discipline.
     The authors conclude that the time has come for a fresh UN military code of conduct.  They conclude with a model for regulation, which refreshingly adds to a body of literature which has generally neglected such specifics.