Preface and Introduction to the Second Edition of the Oxford Guide to Treaties

Abstract

This Preface and Introduction introduces readers to the Second Edition of the Oxford Guide to Treaties, an award-winning volume that provides a comprehensive review of the rules and practices surrounding the making, interpretation, and operation of these instruments. The Preface explores the Dickensian state of modern treaties – it is the best of times and it is the worst of times. It offers evidence for both the dominance of treaties within the current international legal order and their decline given the reduction in new treaty-making and rising withdrawals from existing instruments. The Introduction situates treaties within the international legal order and offers a framework for the remainder of the volume. Leading experts provide essays designed to introduce the law of treaties and offer practical insights into how treaties actually work. Foundational issues are covered, including what treaties are and when they should be used, alongside detailed analyses of treaty formation, application, interpretation, and exit. Special issues associated with treaty theory, alternatives, effectiveness, and dynamic interpretation are new to this second edition while all the first edition’s chapters have been fully updated and revised. These scholarly treatments are complimented by a new set of over 400 model treaty clauses. Real examples illustrate the approaches treaty-makers can take on topics such as entry into force, languages, reservations, and amendments. The Second Edition of the Oxford Guide to Treaties thus provides an authoritative reference point for anyone involved in the creation, interpretation, or application of treaties and other forms of international agreement.