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Public International Law: A Beginner's Guide

Highly Qualified Publicists

In some instances, a specific authoritative source of international law is unavailable. In these instances, evidence of international law can be shown through the writings of qualified legal scholars, called "highly qualified publicists." There is no definitive list of qualified legal scholars. Instead, these scholars are qualified through the depth of their writings and their respect within the legal community. Commentary from the Restatement Third states that certain scholarly bodies carry more weight than others; for example, the International Law Commission External is considered to be especially authoritative. The following resources are helpful for locating scholarly works across all jurisdictions.

Subscription Resources

The subscription resources marked with a padlock  are available to researchers on-site at the Library of Congress.  If you are unable to visit the Library, you may be able to access these resources through your local public or academic library.

Free Online Resources