The Cambridge History of International Law: Volume 2, International Law in Asia

Volume II offers an accessible exploration of the history of international law in Asia from antiquity to the mid-twentieth century. Spanning a vast geography, these accounts of statecraft and diplomacy, war and trade, treaties and disputes will interest a broad range of specialists in the history of international law.

Volume II of The Cambridge History of International Law breaks the mould of Eurocentric histories in the field by exploring international law in Asia from antiquity to decolonisation. Its twenty-six chapters span a vast geography, covering both the landmass and the oceans; offering accounts of statecraft and diplomacy, war and trade; marriage and gift-giving; treaty-making and dispute settlement; ideas of the human and 'the other'; and entanglements of political authority with mercantile, corporate and religious orders. The chapters introduce readers to a diverse cast of characters, from scholars, scientists, geographers, mapmakers; to traders, merchants, shipowners and entrepreneurs; and to women, revolutionaries, pirates, labourers, and monks. The volume explains leading historiographical trends, ponders the challenges of writing Asian histories of international law, highlights available materials and methods, and showcases the conceptual purchase of Asian histories for thinking about international law.