A Just World Under Law: The ASIL 2006 Centennial

In 2006, ASIL will celebrate 100 years of service and mark a century of almost unimaginable change in the organization, the field of international law and the world as a whole. The centennial affords the Society an opportunity to look ahead through programs highlighting the continuity as well as transformation of the organization and its work.

If you have any questions or comments about ASIL's Centennial observances, please contact Richard LaRue, ASIL Deputy Director, at 202-939-6000 or at rlarue@asil.org.

Our Century-old Commitment

“The increase of popular control over national conduct, which marks the political development of our time, makes it constantly more important that the great body of the people in each country should have a just conception of their international rights and duties.”
             --Elihu Root, “The Need of Popular Understanding of International Law,”
            The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 1, No. 1 (January 1907), 1.

These were the first words ever to appear in the American Journal of International Law. Written in 1907 by Elihu Root, ASIL’s first president, they capture the raison d’être for the organization that is as valid today as it was when the Society was founded on January 12, 1906.

Despite 100 years of dramatic change—whether in international law itself (e.g., the emergence of the individual as an international law subject), in the world at large (e.g., technology or communications), or in the membership of the Society (e.g., from a relatively small group of white American males to 4,000 diverse people from nearly 100 nations)—the Society has remained true to its founding premise.

Celebrating a century of international law and international law education need not be only retrospective or internally focused. Indeed, the educational imperative for ASIL’s work has increased substantially as international law becomes a greater civic force in peoples’ lives and more and more non-international law professionals and entities interact with it. Accordingly, most of our centennial programs will feature forward-looking content.

Achieving A Just World Under Law

The Centennial theme is “A Just World Under Law.” What comprises a just world under law? How does one achieve this in the 21st century? What is international law’s role in doing so? These questions will be explored throughout the ASIL’s Centennial programs and have already been a topic of discussion at the Members’ General Meeting on April 1, 2004. The four distinguished panelists’ views are summarized below.

Anne-Marie Slaughter, Princeton University and former ASIL President, defines a just world under law as one in which international law combines state security with human security. The latter comprises not only security from violence, but also from such things as disease and poverty. There is a need to devise rules that recognize individuals, but with states still being the primary actors.

James Carter, Sullivan & Cromwell and current ASIL President, looks to the foundations of ASIL, in which the Society’s constitution speaks of establishing and maintaining international relations on the basis of law and justice. The Society’s founders had in mind international law as a force in preventing war; decision-makers would be propelled by popular opinion, which needs to be educated. This remains the challenge for ASIL, to be effective at the nexus between leaders and the public.

Rosa Ehrenreich Brooks, Associate Professor of Law, University of Virginia, argues that there needs to be a broad, shared cultural commitment to the rule of law and to neutral mechanisms as instruments of a just world. We need to think about what it takes to create a rule of law culture, in the United States as well as throughout the world. We have to question our own government’s commitment to the rule of law.

Dietmar Prager, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, identifies several needs that must be addressed to achieve a just world under law: strengthening the individual’s standing to participate in international adjudication; increasing participation by individuals in international law-making; determining how to implement international tribunals’ judgments at the domestic level; and increasing cooperation between international tribunals and domestic courts.

Centennial Projects

Activity anchoring the centennial observances will include publication of ASIL’s history, a special 2006 Annual Meeting, a series of regional and international conference programs, American Journal of International Law- and International Legal Materials-derived publications and other programs. The details are currently being worked out. “We are extremely encouraged by the growing interest in Centennial programs and are eager to involve ASIL members as much as possible,” said Committee chair Anne-Marie Slaughter. “We hope to see a great variety of events throughout the year.”

If you have any questions or comments about the Centennial, please contact Rick LaRue, ASIL Deputy Director, at 202-939-6000 or at rlarue@asil.org.