International Territorial Administration: How Trusteeship and the Civilizing Mission Never Went Away

New
Illustrated
2008
$183.85

Trusteeship and the civilizing mission never ended with the self-determination entitlement that led to decolonization: international organizations took on this role in the post-colonial era, internationalizing trusteeship and re-legitimizing it as a feature of international policy. Through analysis of the history of and purposes associated with the involvement of international organizations in territorial administration, a comparison between this activity and colonial trusteeship, occupation, the Mandate and Trusteeship arrangements, and an exploration of the modern ideas of international law and public policy that underpin and legitimize contemporary interventions, this book relates a new history of the concept of international trusteeship. From British colonialist Lord Lugard's dual mandate to the state building agenda of the then High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lord Ashdown, wide-ranging links between the complex peace operations of today and the civilizing mission of the colonial era are established, offering a historical, political and legal framework within which the legitimacy of and challenges faced by complex interventions can be appraised. This new history of international trusteeship raises important questions about the role of international law and organizations in facilitating relations of domination and tutelage, and suggests that the contemporary significance of the self-determination entitlement needs to be re-evaluated.

Synopsis

Trusteeship and the civilizing mission never ended with the self-determination entitlement that led to decolonization: international organizations took on this role in the post-colonial era, internationalizing trusteeship and re-legitimizing it as a feature of international policy. Through analysis of the history of and purposes associated with the involvement of international organizations in territorial administration, a comparison between this activity and colonial trusteeship, occupation, the Mandate and Trusteeship arrangements, and an exploration of the modern ideas of international law and public policy that underpin and legitimize contemporary interventions, this book relates a new history of the concept of international trusteeship. From British colonialist Lord Lugard's dual mandate to the state building agenda of the then High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lord Ashdown, wide-ranging links between the complex peace operations of today and the civilizing mission of the colonial era are established, offering a historical, political and legal framework within which the legitimacy of and challenges faced by complex interventions can be appraised. This new history of international trusteeship raises important questions about the role of international law and organizations in facilitating relations of domination and tutelage, and suggests that the contemporary significance of the self-determination entitlement needs to be re-evaluated.

$183.85

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Illustrated
Pages: 640
Edition: 1st
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Published: 13 Mar 2008
ISBN 10: 0199274320
ISBN 13: 9780199274321

Media Reviews

...this book is a wonderful contribution to an underexplored area of international law. The book carefully chronicles the history of the concept of international trusteeship, and provides a political and legal framework by which to appraise the legitimacy of these interventions. The book presents an impressive blend of comprehensive empirical research and insightful incorporation of legal theory. The book is extremely well-written, utilizing precise yet accessible language. This book promises to be a tremendous resource for both newcomers and experts in the field. * ASIL Book Prize Committee 2009 *
Although the sweep of the activity under evaluation is very broad, Wilde does immense justice to it. Wilde's book is an elegant, provocative, and highly inspiring work. It is a major scholarly contribution to the fields of history, international law, and international relations...a must read. * Vijayashri Sripati, Human Rights Quarterly *
Dr. Wilde's review of the nature and purposes of international territorial administration is definitely a must read. * NATO Legal Gazette *
The book's nine chapters are divided in to numbered subsections. This convenient approach facilitates ease of access to content, and convenient cross-referencing, for the many users likely to rely on Professor Wilde's well-written and documented discourse...Wilde has masterfully penned a rather disquieting account of the ITA device. It has arguably failed to merge word and deed, in terms of the equality guaranteed all nations under applicable UN Charter principles. The publication of his riveting discourse focuses on the downside risk of quick-fix approaches to managing the complexities of the governed entity. * William Slomanson *
Wilde's book manages to do two things excellently, when even doing an excellent job at one would be notable...On one hand his book presents a careful theoretical expositition of his proposition, that international administration has become not only an international institution but one with continuing, unified policy objectives. It's a syndrome, a chronic condition or effort that has developed over decades, not an ad hoc, disunited band aid policy as it is presented. His case is clear and his presentation balanced and careful. On the other hand the book is a thorough empirical study of a) the universe of cases! b) over time! To document this condition as well as assess and qualify his thesis. There are great books on theory and great empirical books but when they are combined, one side almost always dominates. Wilde's book doesn't have that sort of imbalance, and the two sides complement rather than undermine each other. * Cheryl Shanks *
... an admirably thorough analysis of ITA, which takes account of all the major scholarship on the subject, together with a highly original though not entirely uncontentious interpretation of this intriguing historical phenomenonit endeavours-and succeeds-in shifting our perspective on a familiar topic. It is an important book that deserves wide readership * Richard Caplan, University of Oxford, The British Yearbook of International Law, issue 79 *
Wilde's focus on the broader issues relating to international territorial administration gives a young field a great deal of depth. His thought-provoking work, which identifies ITA as a policy institution and argues that it is part of a broader family of 'foreign territorial administration' (including colonialism), incites refelection and discourages lawyers from having a purely technocratic approach to what can be a highly technical field of law. * Lindsey Cameron, Research assistant and PhD Candidate, University of Geneva, and Rebecca Everly, PhD, currently a visiting scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, Global Law Books *
Wilde's account offers valuable insights into the nature of international territorial administration. * Anne Orford, University Of Melbourne, ICLQ Vol 59 *
Wilde argues that his aim is not to discern the 'real' reasons for the projects that he considers, but 'to identify a justificatory framework to explain how the projects are understood in international policy discourse'(p.39). This broadly constructivist approach is pursued in refreshingly clear language * Simon Chesterman, National University of Singapore, Leiden Journal of International Law, 23 *

Author Bio

Dr Ralph Wilde is Vice Dean for Research and a Reader at the Faculty of Laws, University College London. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law centre. At the International Law Association he is a member of the international Executive Council and the academic Secretary of the British Branch. He is also a member of the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law and a member of the editorial advisory boards of Current Legal Problems and the Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding.