International Organizations as Law Makers
The phenomenon of international organizations (IOs) and the changes that they may have made in the fabric of international law and relations continue to fascinate international lawyers and policymakers. Whether the phenomenon is evidence of a move toward a more organized system of "world governance," at the expense of the authority and relevance of states, and whether these organizations have taken on a life of their own irrespective of the wishes and commands of states, have been the subject of vigorous debates. In International Organizations as Law Makers, Jose Alvarez's likening of the uncertainties and dilemmas of modern states over IOs to those of Dr. Frankenstein to his monster in Mary Shelley's novel, seems apt. The monster aroused the fear of the villagers, and IOs may have a similar effect on the global village. But fear distorts judgment. A more realistic and less fanciful examination of the effect of the growing number of IOs that seem to have increasing regulatory and enforcement capabilities is in order. Jose Alvarez has provided international lawyers with such an examination.
American Journal of International Law