AFRICA
The Africa Interest Group (AIG) is committed to examining
and spurring international public opinion and dialogue on
contemporary legal and socio-political issues that directly
impact the character and well-being of African states and
African people on the Continent and in the Diaspora. The following
five themes will guide the activities of the AIG: (1) rule
of law issues, including the evolution of local, national
and regional human rights structures; (2) the global pathology
and violence against African women and specifically the girl
child, particulary in the areas of domestic violence, human
trafficking, sexual exploitation and communicable diseases;
(3) conflict prevention, management, and resolution issues,
including peacekeeping, peace-enforcement and humanitarian
intervention; (4) regional economic integration and trade
issues, including the AGOA; and (5) African responses to local,
national, regional and international terrorism. These themes
will be the subject of lectures, workshops, conferences and
newsletters organized and distributed by the AIG.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The Dispute Resolution Interest Group has recently elected new leadership and a program of activities is presently being created. Please contact the Co-Chairs for more information.
HUMAN
RIGHTS
Within the human rights revolution that is affecting and changing
the world, the members of the Human Rights Interest Group
work in the interface between research and activism, between
law teaching and law practice, between observation and participation.
The group's activities include publishing a newsletter, as
well as sponsoring panels and lectures on timely international
human rights topics at the ASIL Annual Meeting. Interest Group
members have an opportunity to network with others in the
field, combine our efforts, build on each other's research
and experience, and find partners and co-venturers in the
cause of human rights.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Intellectual property rights is one of the most discussed global topics of day. There has been a generalized focus within the Interest Group on the intersection of intellectual property and trade law, because, in addition to being a stand-alone issue, intellectual property is also increasingly being addressed as a trade issue under the global trade framework. This Interest Group serves to bring members up-to-date information on the development of intellectual property law on a global basis; this is done through a combination of yearly newsletters, e-mail alerts, panel programs at the ASIL Annual Meeting, and invitations to group members to comment and participate in meetings or initiatives relating to international intellectual property law.
INTERNATIONAL
CRIMINAL LAW
The International Criminal Law Interest Group has a primary
purpose of facilitating networking on research, studies, drafts
and proposals of a private or governmental nature concerning
international criminal law and institutions (such as international
criminal tribunals). This objective is addressed by publishing
a newsletter, Accountability, which has included essays, book
reviews and notices. The group also organizes panels on international
criminal law and institutions at the ASIL Annual Meeting,
and looks to collaborate in the future with other groups of
similar interest.
INTERNATIONAL
ECONOMIC LAW
The International Economic Law Interest Group promotes academic
discussion, research and publication in subjects broadly related
to the transnational movement and regulation of goods, services,
persons and capital. The group is interested in diverse interdisciplinary
explorations of public and private international and municipal
law, and is particularly interested in promoting the work
and interests of new practitioners and scholars in the field.
In addition to sponsoring panels at the ASIL Annual Meeting,
the group also holds annual or bi-annual conferences, following
an open Call for Papers sent to group members. Proceedings
of these conferences have regularly been published as symposia
in law review journals.
INTERNATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
This Interest Group was formed to examine issues of development
and implementation of international environmental law such
as environmental governance, climate change, globalization
and environmental law, the effect of war on the environment
and water law. The group emphasizes environmental law as
a core area of international law and looks at linkages in
areas such as trade law, humanitarian law and science.
INTERNATIONAL
HEALTH LAW
The International Health Law Interest Group promotes academic
discourse and multidisciplinary research on international
legal matters pertaining to public health and health policy.
This group seeks to expand understanding, awareness and opportunity
in international health law by organizing sessions at ASIL's
Annual Meeting, as well as by facilitating communication between
scholars and professionals in this growing field.
INTERNATIONAL
LAW IN DOMESTIC COURTS
The purpose of the International Law in Domestic Courts Interest
Group is to promote informal, face-to-face dialogue among
scholars who are interested in issues pertaining the application
of international law in domestic courts. The primary activity
of the interest group will be to convene a meeting once a
year, generally in the fall, to provide an opportunity for
interested scholars to present works-in-progress and exchange
ideas in an informal atmosphere. The group will focus on issues
relating to the application of international law and foreign
relations law in domestic courts. The group will also maintain
its own e-mail discussion list in order to facilitate discussion
during the rest of the year.
INTERNATIONAL
LEGAL THEORY
The purpose of the Interest Group in International Legal Theory
is to give members an opportunity to exchange and develop
ideas on theoretical issues all too neglected in the fields
of international law and international relations. Debate amongst
members of the group is encouraged through the publication
of the journal International Legal Theory. Each issue contains
a lead article by a noted scholar, published together with
commentary from Interest Group members. The group also regularly
sponsors panels at the ASIL Annual Meeting.
INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
One remarkable change in international law since the end of
World War II has involved the establishment and growth of
multilateral organizations as actors in the international
arena. As the role of such organizations expands, the interplay
of politics and law in the enforcement of international norms
must be considered. By sponsoring panels and the Annual Meeting
and contributing to regional conferences The International
Organizations Interest Group focuses on inquiry into the practices
and norms of these multilateral international actors. The
group's members have worked closely with other organizations
to create a strong and mutually supportive group of scholars
and practitioners who seek common understanding of the evolving
multilateral order.
LAW
IN THE PACIFIC RIM REGION
Just as the Mediterranean was to the Roman world, and the
Atlantic to the "modern" world, so shall the Pacific be to
the "post-modern" world. This Interest Group brings together
lawyers, scholars and others interested in the topic to inform
each other and the Society generally of developments relating
to international law and international relations in this vast
and important region. The group functions through panels and
sessions at the Society's Annual Meeting and though a newsletter.
Future programmatic goals include joint sponsorship of a regional
conference.
LIEBER
SOCIETY ON THE LAW OF ARMED CONFLICT
The Lieber Society serves as the Society's focal point for
the study and dissemination of the law of armed conflict,
or international humanitarian law, and other public international
law related to the conduct of military operations. The Lieber
Society facilitates dialogue by bringing together academics
and governmental and non-governmental practitioners, civilian
and military, from the United States and throughout the
world, by sponsoring panels at the ASIL Annual Meetings,
publishing a periodic newsletter, co-sponsoring symposia,
and by the informal sharing and critiquing of ideas, research
and papers. Through these efforts the Lieber Society strives
to promote understanding of, respect for, and compliance
with international law.
The group also sponsors an annual award, the Francis
Lieber Prize, presented to the author of an exceptional
work in the field.
NEW PROFESSIONALS
The New Professionals Interest Group (NPIG) is comprised of
law students and international lawyers new to the field of
international law. The group's activities include career development
programs, networking events, receptions, and seminars on careers
in international law and have featured collaboration with
similar groups, such as The International Law Students Association.
NPIG welcomes law students and encourages the full participation
of its members in the broader activities of the Society, facilitating
the transition from studying law to becoming active members
of the bar.
PRIVATE
INTERNATIONAL LAW
This Interest Group was formed for the purpose of exploring
the relationship between public and private international
law, under the general thesis that they exert reciprocal influence
on each other and that the horizons of the ASIL should be
expanded to reflect the interests of its members on issues
of private international law. By sponsoring panels at the
Society's Annual Meeting, the group has provided a forum for
a critical examination of private international law rules
and processes and made developments in the field more readily
accessible to the public and to ASIL members. The group looks
to form alliances with kindred international organizations,
as well as to organize a regional conference on a subject
of private international law.
RIGHTS
OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The Interest Group on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was
established in 1985 to study the rights and status of indigenous
peoples in international law. During ASIL Annual Meetings,
and specifically in five Annual Meeting panels, the Interest
Group has focused on the evolution of standards on indigenous
peoples' rights within international organizations, on their
right to self- determination, and on intellectual property
law as it relates to the heritage of indigenous peoples. The
group has also co-sponsored tribal sovereignty symposia with
the St. Thomas University School of Law and endeavors to continue
this collaboration.
STATUS OF MINORITIES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES This interest group is committed to fact-finding, research, dissemination of information and discussion regarding tribal, ethnic, clannish, religious, cultural, linguistic, and other subnational groups. The group concentrates not on individual rights and duties, but on the growing aspirations and demands of minorities and other communities for recognition and greater self-government. In studying the status of minorities, the group addresses and assesses both international and national developments concerning such diverse questions as communal security, identity, prosperity, equality, representation and autonomy.
TEACHING
INTERNATIONAL LAW
The Teaching International Law Interest Group aims at the
collection and dissemination of new techniques for teaching
international law to a broad range of student audiences, including
law students, college students and high school students, both
in the U.S. and abroad. Although innovative techniques are
often highlighted, standard approaches are also examined in
order to keep them fresh and effective. The group addresses
these topics through discussions and workshops, as well as
through co-sponsorship of international conferences. The mission
of this Interest Group naturally coincides with the educational
mission of ASIL and the group operates under the premise that
effective teaching leads to public awareness and understanding
of international law.
UN 21
The UN 21 Interest Group was formed near the outset of the
Decade of International Law (1990-1999) proclaimed by the
U.N. General Assembly. ASIL members, representing a broad
spectrum of individual interests, thus assist the Society
in aligning itself with the essential objectives of this U.N.
program- particularly the encouragement of the teaching, study,
dissemination, and wider acceptance of International Law by
the global community. The UN 21 has met on an annual basis
in Washington, DC or New York City, has published numerous
substantive newsletters per year since 1992, and has arranged
several UN 21 panels at the ASIL Annual Meetings.
WOMEN
IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
The Women in International Law Interest Group (WILIG) was
created to promote and enhance the careers of women in the
field of international law. WILIG aims to support women who
are already in the field in order to allow the development
of their full potential for achievement and leadership and
also to support, encourage and enhance opportunities for other
women who are interested in entering the field of international
law. WILIG sponsors panels and a luncheon at ASIL's Annual
Meeting, publishes a quarterly newsletter, recognizes the
work of outstanding women in the field, and recommends speakers
and experts on a variety on international law topics.
