Research Handbook on Soft Law
Produktdetaljer
Om bidragsyterne
Edited by Mariolina Eliantonio, Professor of European and Comparative Administrative Law and Procedure, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University, the Netherlands, Emilia Korkea-aho, Professor of European Law and Legislative Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Finland and Ulrika Mörth, Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, Sweden<i>‘The authors of the </i>Research Handbook on Soft Law<i> took on an enormously ambitious task by aiming to bring together a thorough state-of-the-art overview of this body of research and the developments in the field of soft law. Nevertheless, they succeeded marvellously in bringing together an excellent and thought-provoking overview of the research and scope of current thinking in the field of soft law in various academic disciplines. Thereby, the book provides a very rich basis for further research to advance our understanding of soft law. Hence, it constitutes a must-read for academics across various disciplines, lawyers, policy-makers, and many more interested in the use of soft law. [...] The Research Handbook stands out in providing an extensive analysis of the current body of research, offering reflections on the opportunities and challenges that soft law brings about. By viewing soft law from various disciplinary angles, the book truly builds a bridge between academics, practitioners, policy-makers, and many more interested in everything soft law.’</i>
- Lisette Mustert, Review of European Administrative Law,
<i>‘This is a terrific collection on a subject of perennial interest, particularly (although not only) for international and European law scholars and practitioners. The editors have assembled a stellar line-up of contributors to address many of the persistent issues which the use and proliferation of soft law raise, including the reasons for its emergence as well as its impact, authority, limitations and future challenges.’</i>
- Gráinne de Búrca, New York University, US,
<i>‘Soft law is at once a welcome addition to the instruments for governing and a challenge to traditional ideas of law and governance. This Research Handbook provides a thorough and thoughtful examination of the nature of soft law and its contributions to governing at the national and transnational levels. It is essential reading for scholars of law, political science, economics and governance.’</i>
- B. Guy Peters, University of Pittsburgh, US,
<i>‘While soft law is increasingly central, its fuzziness – sitting between law and politics; the local and the global; the public and the private – makes it difficult to grasp for academics and practitioners alike. Into this darkness, this Research Handbook shines bright light, examining both soft law’s history and its development across policy fields. For its intellectual depth and empirical rigour, it deserves to be widely read.’</i>
- Mark Dawson, Hertie School, Germany,
<i>‘This </i>Elgar Research Handbook on Soft Law provides critically important, grounded case studies of soft law in action across key policy fields, combined with conceptual and normative analyses for governance going forward, with significant implications for the major challenges that our societies face, from climate change, AI, and financial crises, to social inclusion and the rule of law.’
- Gregory Shaffer, Georgetown University Law Center, US,
Organized into four broad themes, the Research Handbook offers important and unique insights into the dynamic and complex nature of soft law. The first section delves into the conceptual history and development of soft law. Second, the Handbook explores the disciplinary understandings of soft law, examining how scholars from different fields investigate the topic. The third theme focuses on the public and private actors and institutions involved in soft law-making, providing a detailed analysis of the complex relationships that shape soft law. Finally, the fourth theme explores the role of soft law in addressing major global societal challenges, including among others climate change, gender inequality, and the regulation of artificial intelligence.
This Research Handbook will be a key resource for students and scholars in constitutional and administrative law, public international law, regulation and governance, public administration and policy, and law and politics. Practitioners and policymakers seeking to better understand the role of soft law in domestic and international law, policy and governance will also find this book beneficial.