Feminism and International Law: An Opportunity for Transformation

Abstract

On September 11, 2001, the world collided with the United States, forcing Americans to remember that although we may sometimes prefer to ignore the rage and pain of those who live far away, we have no guarantees that we will be ignored in return. The long-term impact of September 11 on U.S. government policy is still far from clear: the U.S. may ultimately become more multi-lateral, or we may merely become more imperialist. Regardless of how we move forward, however, it has become clear that isolationism is no longer possible in today's globally interconnected world, and international issues in both politics and law are taking on ever-increasing importance. This could have been said even before September 11, of course: from the Gulf War to the Kosovo air campaign, from NAFTA1 to the World Bank, the past decade has seen the U.S. drawn into a wide range of international alliances and adventures. Correspondingly, more and more lawyers have found themselves working on international issues, whether these are international business transactions or international human rights law cases. Law schools have responded by increasing course offerings in these areas, and students have eagerly signed up for international classes and projects.