Sunday, July 03, 2005

Martti Koskenniemi's From Apology to Utopia to be reissued in December 2005


A former student of Martti Koskenniemi's has posted a comment that notes that the very great theoretical work of international law, From Apology to Utopia, is to be reissued in December 2005. I wasn't aware that it was difficult to find for purchase, as I've had the same copy since it first appeared. But for those coming to the field in recent years, this is good news.

I should also add, re the comment, I'm not sure that "sociologist" is the the best way to describe the iconoclastic Koskenniemi, either. I chose it not so much in the technical sense of sociologist, but to emphasize that Koskenniemi is studying the profession itself, as something that professes, and not merely examining the intellectual contents that it produces. Social theorist of international law might be a better way to put it - but clearly, Koskenniemi is doing something more than international law as such, more than an intellectual history of international law as such - the third layer in his work, the most important, connects to the actors qua actors, and not simply to their intellectual products.

My thanks for that comment - it caused me to think more deeply about how to catergorize Koskenniemi's work:

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"I agree with many of your comments on Martti Koskenniemi, a brilliant theorist and intellectual historian (and my dissertation advisor) who somehow balances the practical commitments of an international lawyer with meta-theory. I would quibble with your assessment of him as a "sociologist" however, since he seems to struggle to put vocational concerns front and center.

You will be happy to hear that last I checked Apology/Utopia, which has been notoriously difficult to find, is set to be reissued in Dec. 2005."
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