Governance, Order, and the International Criminal Court: Between Realpolitik and a Cosmopolitan Court

During the post-Cold War, the activities of international criminal courts have focused increasing attention on the role of power politics in shaping and testing international law. The International Criminal Court (ICC), which entered into force in July 2002, challenges the idea that international law is but a body of rules and principles. In fact, the ICC is wedded to both realpolitik factors and cosmopolitan ideals of fairness and equality. How is this so? And why is it important to understanding world order and governance? The essays in this book are intended to explore these questions by shedding theoretical and empirical light on the novel dynamics of the ICC, and by offering novel explanations of how it will best serve the interests of international justice.