International Courts and Tribunals

This chapter introduces a type of institution that is very important in the field of international law: international courts. The last few decades have seen an enormous rise in the number and importance of such courts, not just for states but for all (international) actors. Increasingly, what international courts do catches the headlines; and increasingly, states and others have to include international courts in their policy-making and strategic calculations. First, the chapter will describe what international courts are, what they do, and how they do it. The chapter will then look at the wider functional and systemic context: How do international courts contribute to and affect international relations? Finally, the chapter will explore ways of assessing the value of international courts.