Rule of Law on the International Agenda: International Support to Legal and Judicial Reform in International Administration, Transition and Developmen

The rule of law is a top priority among international organizations, national governments and development agencies. A number of factors have contributed to this elevation of law, among them the influence of the "good governance" paradigm, the emergence of a universal concept of human rights, and not least the urgency of introducing a degree of law and order in post-war environments. The rule of law is thus regarded both as an end in itself and as a means to facilitate the achievement of other development objectives. Although there is unprecedented activity in this field, the nexus between law and various aspects of development remains problematic and little understood. Behind the "rule of law consensus" are still different and potentially contradictory visions and approaches. It is similarly disputed that legal concepts can be meaningfully "exported" or "borrowed". This book presents the most important political, economic and moral imperatives of the international support legal and judicial reforms in developing, transition and post-crisis environments; provides an overview of the main implementation strategies; and explains their strengths and weaknesses.