International law: normative contestation in the transnational realm

Abstract

International Law is a dynamic and flexible subfield which can serve as an example of how laws are contested, negotiated, and adopted without the presence of an overarching authority with coercive powers (a leviathan). A greater understanding of the relationship between international law and the vast array of actors currently operating the in interstices of the transnational system brought about by globalization can provide valuable insights as to how laws are created and legitimized through norm socialization and dialogue leading to a shared intersubjective understanding. This brief essay aims to connect some important insights from legal anthropology to the work of constructivist scholars studying regime formation and institution building in the growing field of international studies.