International law provides frameworks for managing disputes and promoting rule-based governance in international relations. International courts help clarify norms, shape state practice and influence how governments frame contested issues. Thus the classic conundrum in public international law, that its effectiveness ultimately depends on states’ respect and compliance. Drawing on cases arising from Southeast Asia as a point of reference, this lecture looks at how international courts influence diplomatic discourse, state practice and regional expectations. It reflects on the role of international legal processes in sustaining rule- based approaches to global governance, particularly in an age of growing geo-political rivalry. As gunboat diplomacy reasserts itself in international affairs, the lecture explores the continuing relevance of international law and courts in international relations.

Dr Oral was invited to moderate the discussion followed after the lecture by Judge Raul Pangalangan, a former Judge at the International Criminal Court at The Hague, where he tried cases of war crimes involving child soldiers, forced marriages and attacks by religious police against religious and cultural heritage. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of the Philippines where he served as Law Dean from 1999-2005.

More about the event at the link: https://law.nus.edu.sg/cals/events/cals-stephen-brogan-jones-day-legal-fellowship-lecture-on-the-rule-of-law-do-international-courts-matter-international-law-and-governance-in-a-turbulent-time/