The studies in this book concern the nature of international law, how it is and is not constituted, and whether commitments that are not legally binding can change the behaviour of states as well as or better than legal norms do.

Introduction: Law, Non-Law and the Problem of 'Soft Law' ; PART I. THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM ; 1. Normative Development in the International Legal System ; 2. Compliance Theories ; Choosing to Comply: Theorizing from International Relations and Comparative Politics ; Beyond Compliance: Helping Nations Cooperate ; 3. Challenges to the International Legal System ; Interdependence, Globalization, and Sovereignty: The Role of Non-binding International Legal Accords ; The Role of Soft Law in a Global Order ; 4. Commentary: Compliance with International Soft Law ; PART II. PERSPECTIVES ON COMPLIANCE WITH NON-BINDING NORMS ; 5. The Environment and Natural Resources ; The General Assembly Ban on Driftnet Fishing ; Pesticides and Chemicals: The Requirement of Prior Informed Consent ; The Legal Status and Effect of Antarctic Recommended Measures ; Selected Agreements Concluded Pursuant to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals ; Commentary and Conclusions ; 6. Trade and Finance ; International Efforts against Money Laundering ; 'Soft Law' in a 'Hybrid' Organization: The International Organization for Standardization ; Policy Guidance and Compliance: The World Bank Operational Standards ; Environmental Norms in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum ; Commentary: Compliance with Non-binding Norms of Trade and Finance ; 7. Human Rights ; A Hard Look at Compliance with 'Soft' Law: The Case of the OSCE ; International Labor Organization: Recommendations and Similar Instruments ; Inter-American Human Rights Law, Soft and Hard ; Human Rights Codes for Transnational Corporations: The Sullivan and McBride Principles ; Commentary and Conclusions ; 8. Multilateral Arms Control ; The System of Non-proliferation Export Controls ; Protection of Nuclear Materials ; International Regulation of Land Mines ; Commentary ; 9. Conclusions: Understanding Compliance with Soft Law ; Editor's Concluding Note: The Role of Non-binding Norms in the International Legal System

`Review from previous edition This well presented work is optimistic about future prospects, which should give comfort to us all.' Gavin McFarlane, New Law Journal, Feb 01 `Commitment and Compliance is an impressive collection of studies...which is surely the most significant contribution so far to the literature on the soft-law phenomenon and the associated problem of compliance with nonbinding instruments. Expertly edited by Dinah Shelton, this substantial work draws upon no less than twenty-seven authors and co-authors...[t]he result is a work unusually rich in conceptual insight and empirical range: cross-disciplinary, multisectoral, and transgenerational...' Douglas M. Johnston, The American Journal of International Law, July 2001

This project of the American Society of International Law brings together a host of leading experts to discuss areas of the law where non legally-binding agreements are becoming increasingly common: human rights, the environment, arms control, and trade and finance The book is the first to evaluate the impact on state behaviour of international norms that are not legally binding

This project of the American Society of International Law brings together a host of leading experts to discuss areas of the law where non legally-binding agreements are becoming increasingly common: human rights, the environment, arms control, and trade and finance The book is the first to evaluate the impact on state behaviour of international norms that are not legally binding