Many people probably don’t realize it, but international law plays a major role in everyday life. For example in armed conflicts, in natural disasters due to climate change and subsequent refugee flows, in safeguarding human rights and in conducting international trade. International law helps to end wars and to secure water and food for everyone, and it protects freedom of expression, to name but a few. The purpose of this book is to contribute to a better understanding of public international law and private international law, including the latest trends and highlights. The conclusions of the authors of this book are mostly optimistic. A positive look is sometimes needed to notice the progress and not to go too fast in negative hypes. In order to move forward with international law, we need to understand the state of affairs and the trends, per jurisdiction and in a broader sense, taking into account historical developments and ever-changing geopolitical contexts. The authors note that states are increasingly being forced to accept human rights as a guideline for their actions. Little by little, human rights are conquering a place in all areas of international law and in international relations, where it is ultimately a question of pure power policy coming to its knees for law. In addition, they see a new social contract between states, civil society (NGOs, trade unions, churches) and companies, with support and critical reflection from science and they observe a combination of clarity and diversity. When developing international law, it is very important not to neglect global cultural and political diversity in theory and practice. The book is written in such a way that it is accessible to anyone interested in these topics. Per chapter the reader is introduced to basic concepts from international law, and to international organizations and historical events that were important for the development of that part of international law. The book aims to impart basic knowledge to each of the topics discussed, and offers all kinds of options for further study where this is necessary and desirable depending on the needs of the reader. The reader will gradually understand that the various legal areas and developments within them are interconnected. The book also tells the story of the unique and historical link between international law and the city of The Hague. The city was described by former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as “Epicentre of international justice and accountability.” The authors are professors (Willem van Genugten and Nico Schrijver) and a Ph.D. student (Daniela Heerdt) in the field of international law. They have extensive experience with rule of law projects around the globe.

Willem van Genugten was until recently full professor of international law at the University of Tilburg, the Netherlands. He currently holds a small chair in international law at the University of North West, South Africa. He was also, among other things, one of the editors of the Netherlands Yearbook of International Law. Today, he is President of the Royal Dutch Society of International Law, President of the Knowledge Platform Security and the Rule of Law of the Dutch Government and Chair of the Committee on the Implementation of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the International Law Association. He is the author of a long list of academic as well as popularizing publications in the field of international law. In 2012, he received a doctorate honoris causa from the North-West University in South Africa. In 2014 Daniela Heerdt graduated cum laude from her LL.M. in International and European Public Law at Tilburg University, with a specialization in international law and human rights. From February 2014 to December 2015 she has been working at Tilburg Law School to co-author this book. In February 2016, she took a teaching position for public international and European law at Utrecht University. From September 2016 onwards she is a PhD candidate at Tilburg Law School and conducts research in the field of business and human rights. Nico Schrijver is parttime Professor of Public International Law at the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, Leiden University. During 2005-2017 he was the Academic Director of the Grotius Centre and Head of the Department. Since 1 September 2017 he also serves as State Councillor, Division of Legislation, in the Council of State of the Netherlands. From June 2011 till September 2017 he was a member of the Senate of the Dutch house of parliament. In the Senate he served as the chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Cooperation, the vice-chair of the Senate Committee on European Affairs and leader of the Dutch delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europa. Schrijver is a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, member of the Institut de Droit International since 2007 and its president during 2017-2019, and member of the Curatorium of The Hague Academy of International Law (since 2016). During 2010-2012 he served as the president of the worldwide International Law Association and during 2008-2016 he was a member and vice-chair of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Nico Schrijver is the author of Sovereignty over Natural Resources. Balancing rights and duties (Cambridge: CUP, 1997), The Evolution of Sustainable Development in International Law (Leiden: Brill, 2008) and Development without Destruction. The UN and Global Resource Management (Bloomington: IUP, 2010).