The Domestic Standing of International Law: A Non-State Account

40 Pages Posted: 22 Jun 2018 Last revised: 11 Sep 2019

See all articles by Tamar Megiddo

Tamar Megiddo

Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Date Written: April 1, 2018

Abstract

Despite its central contribution to the construction of the global legal order, the United States has long been perceived to exclude itself from the reach of international law. Its exceptionalist image has been reinforced by statements of political leaders, federal law provisions, and court decisions. This Article argues, however, that in order to appropriately assess international law’s standing in the United States, one must consider not only the position of its formal government but also the interpretation, application, and challenge of international law by non-State actors. Moreover, it stresses the importance of studying not only elite actors’ engagement with international law but also that of individuals, groups, and organizations outside the formal bureaucracy.

The Article surveys interventions by government officials, producers, consumers, and civil society representatives in the context of a U.S. policy-making process initiated pursuant to a World Trade Organization ruling. It shows that, contrary to the United States’ exceptionalist image, U.S. actors of all stripes invoked and relied on international law extensively, thereby carving a space for it as a non-negligible consideration in the decision-making process. Therefore, the Article argues that accounting for non-State stakeholders is imperative in evaluating the domestic standing of international law.

Keywords: Non-State Actors; Effectiveness of International Law; Domestic Application of International Law; World Trade Organization; Exceptionalism

Suggested Citation

Megiddo, Tamar, The Domestic Standing of International Law: A Non-State Account (April 1, 2018). 57 Columbia Journal of Transnational Law 494 (2019), Hebrew University of Jerusalem Legal Research Paper No. 18-26, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3191064 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3191064

Tamar Megiddo (Contact Author)

Hebrew University of Jerusalem ( email )

Jerusalem
Israel

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