Building the World Community: Challenges for Legal Education

Abstract:     
We are witnessing a dramatic transformation in the world today, caused by a combination of forces such as global trade; foreign investment; the advent of the Internet and other communications technologies; the breakdown of authoritarian political structures; the emergence of new nations; and expanded roles for individuals, multinational corporations, and non-governmental organizations in international activities. In this new, essentially borderless world, crucial problems that challenge humankind cannot be solved solely by individual states. Instead, the growing trend towards internationalization requires an ever greater degree of international cooperation. This is particularly the case for transboundary problems such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, widespread poverty, corruption, environmental degradation, international terrorism, and war crimes. These developments highlight the emergence of a new world reality - and a new legal reality. What will be the effect of these changes on legal education? What challenges do we as legal educators face as we try to prepare our students and our institutions to confront this changing world?

Number of Pages in PDF File: 10

Keywords: diversity, human development, international law

Accepted Paper Series