Publicists and International Law

Halil Rahman BAŞARAN

Bu makale devlet dışı aktörlere ilişkin yapılmış akademik çalışmalara bir katkı niteliği taşımaktadır. Makale uluslararası hukukçu kavramını irdelemektedir. Uluslararası hukukçular uluslararası hukukun hem teorisinde hem de uygulamasında bulunan bir bilgi topluluğudur. Her ne kadar uluslararası hukukun doğrudan bir kaynağı olmasalar da uluslararası hukukun oluşması ve işlemesinde önemli bir rol oynamaktadırlar. Uluslararası hukukçular uluslararası hukukun eksiklerini tamamlamaya ve ideal bir uluslararası hukuku gerçekleştirmeye çalışırlar. Bu sayede uluslararası hukukun envanterini oluştururlar. Bir yandan oluşturdukları doktrin ile diğer yandan da danışmanlık, hakemlik ve hakimlik gibi aktif görevleri sayesinde uluslararası hukukun belirgin aktörleri haline gelirler. Özellikle de uluslararası tahkim sayesinde uluslararası hukukçular Dünya sahnesinde önemli oyuncular haline gelmişlerdir. Ancak uluslararası hukukçuların ideal ve eksiksiz bir uluslararası hukuk oluşturma çabaları merkezi bir kurumun çerçevesi içinde gerçekleşmemektedir.

Uluslararası Hukukçu, Hukuk Doktrini, Uluslararası Tahkim, Uluslararası Hukukun Kaynakları, Uluslararası Adalet Divanı Statüsü.

This paper aims to contribute to the literature on non-state actors, focusing in particular on the concept and role of “publicists” (international lawyers). The “college of international lawyers” entails an epistemic community dealing with both the theory and the practice of international law. This paper will argue that although they are not direct sources of international law as such, publicists do indeed play an important role in the formation and functioning of international law. Publicists are a professional class striving for a “complete” and “ideal” interpretation and implementation of international law; they form the “inventory” of international law. They are more visible than the ordinary individual in international law through both their teachings and their active involvement as legal advisors, arbitrators and judges. They are conspicuos actors on the world stage, at best epitomized by international arbitration. Yet, ultimately, their efforts towards developing an ideal and complete international law are located outside the boundaries of any central institution.

Publicist, Legal Doctrine, International Arbitration, Sources of International Law, Statute of the International Court of Justice.

I. INTRODUCTION

States are the primary subjects of international law – they form and implement international law. Non-state actors are also participants in international law, in that they possess enough power to impact on the formation and functioning of international law.¹ However, they do not constitute a homogenous group. Non-governmental organizations, religious groups, armed opposition groups, multinational corporations, transnational diaspora communities and individuals can all be considered examples of non-state actors² as they contribute to opinion-building in international affairs. However, their participation in international law is varied and it can be argued that it is this very diversity of roles and functions (of non-state actors) that obstructs the development of a uniform legal framework.³ The issue of the legal status or international legal personality of non-state actors poses a particular set of challenges for international law.

With this in mind, this paper aims to contribute to the literature on non-state actors, focusing in particular on the concept and role of “publicists”. For the purposes of this paper, the term “publicist” is used interchangeably with the terms “international lawyer”, “international law scholar” and “international legal scholar”. It is worth explicating this equivalence of these terms at the outset, as the term ‘international lawyer’ is not limited to those producing scholarship on a theoretical basis; the “college of international lawyers” entails an epistemic community dealing with both the theory and the practice of international law. That is, the term includes practitioners (counsels) who deal with international law as well as scholars of the law.

Individuals (natural persons and legal entities such as multinational companies) have certainly become subjects of international law in the post-World War II period. International investment law, individual complaint procedures (as recognized in the protocols to human rights instruments)⁴ and regional human rights regimes, which recognize applications by individuals to regional human rights courts, epitomize the ascendancy of the individual.⁵ Indeed, it can be said that individuals have increased their visibility in international law in the post-World War II period.