Event overview
A History of International Law By Ntina Tzouvala
'The "standard of civilisation" is often considered a historically important but currently irrelevant concept in international law. In this talk, Dr Tzouvala will suggest that this optimistic narrative is misguided. She will argue that "civilisation" has never been a unitary concept subject to a specific definition. Rather, she approaches it as the encapsulation of a much more fundamental and enduring argumentative pattern, one that constantly oscillates between two logics. On the one hand, a certain 'logic of improvement' promises equal rights and duties under international law provided that non-Western political communities transform themselves according to the changing imperatives of capitalism modernity. On the other, an opposing 'logic of biology' perpetually defers this promise of equal inclusion based on ideas of unbridgeable difference. Revisiting the indeterminacy thesis in international law, Dr Tzouvala will argue that international law's constant oscillation between these two logics is reflective of the fact that the discipline reflects capitalism's tendency for uneven and combined development without being able to authoritatively resolve it.'
Dr. Ntina Tzouvala is a Senior Lecturer at the College of Law of the Australian National University. Her work focuses on the political economy of international law.
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jan 2021 | 11:00am - 12:30pm |
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