Representation in International Law

This dissertation studies representation in international law. Starting from Pitkin's conceptualisation of representation as the making present of something that is not present literally or in fact, it engages with the variety of forms and practices of representation in international law. Additionally, the project draws on the study of social representation and the work of Richard Rorty to consider representations of international law as well. It observes the following problématique. Whereas traditionally, only states were understood to have their interests represented in international law, a variety of other interests have come to be represented in international law and institutions today. A phenomenon that introduces novel subject figures deemed to have interests, as well as new ways in which these interests are represented. This development introduces forms of political alterity in international law and institutions. Fora, which used to be the exclusive domain of states. In practice, this is reflected both in the emergence of subs-state level subject figures, as well as in the increasing autonomy of global governance. And it finds expression in the reconstruction of authority structures along the questions, who has the authority to represent what interest, or who can legitimately represent someone or something. Yet, the general framing of this phenomenon has been one that conceives of it through the lenses of domestic law and order. It thereby responds to the destabilisation of the conventional interstate form of international law from a perspective that remains immanent to this very model of order and thereby limited to it. A form of engagement which remains oblivious to a key element of this development: a reconstruction of the political. In this light, this dissertation reconceptualises representation in international law on the basis of the concept of the political to put forward the argument that the changing forms of representation in international law reflect a reconstruction of the political.., it engages with the variety of forms and practices of representation in international law. Additionally., the project draws on the study of social representation and the work of Richard Rorty to consider representations of international law as well. It observes the following problématique. Whereas traditionally., only states were understood to have their interests represented in international law., a variety of other interests have come to be represented in international law and institutions today. A phenomenon that introduces novel subject figures deemed to have interests., as well as new ways in which these interests are represented. This development introduces forms of political alterity in international law and institutions. Fora., which used to be the exclusive domain of states. In practice., this is reflected both in the emergence of subs-state level subject figures., as well as in the increasing autonomy of global governance. And it finds expression in the reconstruction of authority structures along the questions., who has the authority to represent what interest., or who can legitimately represent someone or something. Yet., the general framing of this phenomenon has been one that conceives of it through the lenses of domestic law and order. It thereby responds to the destabilisation of the conventional interstate form of international law from a perspective that remains immanent to this very model of order and thereby limited to it. A form of engagement which remains oblivious to a key element of this development: a reconstruction of the political. In this light., this dissertation reconceptualises representation in international law on the basis of the concept of the political to put forward the argument that the changing forms of representation in international law reflect a reconstruction of the political.