Judicial activism and restraint in the creation of the International Judicial Function
How have activism and restraint shaped the international courts? The thesis attempts to bring coherence to the manner in which international courts and tribunals interpret international law, how they reason out their decisions, and the subsequent effect that this has had upon the institutions themselves.
On the one hand, for most of its existence, international law has largely been examined without its judicial component with limited legal scholarship analysing the emergence of the role of the international judge. On the other hand, many courts have been accused of either overstepping or sometimes underplaying the boundaries and powers granted to them by their creators (the States) while carrying out their interpretation of international law. The thesis bridges these two components, as it examines how the judicial institutions on the international arena have gradually shaped themselves through their unexpected, and sometimes eccentric, judicial reasoning, that has resulted in novel approaches to international law as well as the creation of an independent function of the international judge.
Click here for the live stream.
Also read
-
Teacher Information Points at UM
UM faculties now host Teacher Information Points (TIPs) that offer local, “just-in-time” and on-demand support for teaching staff. The aim is simple: to provide help that is closely connected to day-to-day teaching practice.
-
Globalisation & Law Network seminar with Damian Chalmers
On 4 November 2025, the Globalisation & Law Network had the honour of welcoming Prof. Damian Chalmers to discuss his paper “The EU’s Governing by Legal Shadows”.
-
Ambassador Ammar Hijazi on Palestine and International Law
Ambassador Lecture Series with Ammar Hijazi, Head of the Palestinian Mission to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.