This incisive book is an accessible guide to the laws and policies relating to economic and monetary union (EMU). Providing a rich, multidisciplinary analysis, it combines historical, legal and economic perspectives to offer a detailed understanding of how EMU has developed since its inception and how it works in practice today. Alberto Saravalle begins with an overview of the history of EMU, alongside a theoretical analysis of its regulatory framework and development. He then discusses the events of the European sovereign debt crisis, examining the measures taken by EU institutions such as the European Central Bank, as well as the responses of the Member States and the impact of economic policies they adopted as a result. Finally, he analyses recent proposed reforms to EMU and its possible future evolution, including a discussion of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on Member States' willingness to participate in further reform and integration. This book will be a valuable reference for those teaching and studying advanced courses on EU law, as well as courses that cover the economic history of EU integration. It will also be useful to practitioners, government officials and policy-makers wishing to familiarise themselves with the complex functioning of EMU.

This book demystifies the dynamics of cross-border mergers and acquisitions; from the preliminary agreements and due diligence, to valuation, structuring, financing, and the eventual closing of the deal. It examines merger incentives and efficiencies, in theory and in empirical findings. The author adeptly identifies the impediments facing cross-border mergers and acquisitions and focuses on pre-merger control laws and regulations, particularly those of the US, EU, and Middle East. Consideration is also given to merger deregulation and other key reforming proposals. The book will be a useful resource for students and scholars with an interest in mergers and acquisitions, antitrust laws, and corporate history. Legal Professionals and those in related fields will gain a practical understanding of how to tailor their deals to overcome the unique impediments associated with cross-border transactions. Policy makers will also find the information and assessment criteria developed in the book to be a useful tool for evaluating and designing policy.

Today, international investment law consists of a network of multifaceted, multilayered international treaties that, in one way or another, involve virtually every country of the world. The evolution of this network raises a host of issues regarding international investment law and policy, especially in the area of international investment disputes. This Yearbook monitors current developments in international investment law and policy, focusing on recent trends and issues in foreign direct investment (FDI). It then discusses regulatory and policy developments regarding FDIs in extractive industries, with an additional focus on the extent of protection afforded by international investment treaties. With contributions by leading experts in the field, this title provides timely, authoritative information on FDI that can be used by a wide audience, including practitioners, academics, researchers, and policy makers. The Yearbook on International Investment Law & Policy 2011-2012 monitors current developments in international investment law and policy, focusing on recent trends and issues in foreign direct investment. It also discusses regulatory and policy developments regarding FDIs in extractive industries, with an additional focus on the extent of protection afforded by international investment treaties.

Against the backdrop of the recent trend towards mega-regional trade initiatives, this book addresses the most topical issues that lie at the intersection of law and technology. By assessing international law and the political economy, the contributing authors offer an enhanced understanding of the challenges of diverging regulatory approaches to innovation. With contributions from leading scholars in the field, this book presents a collaborative effort to map out the new dynamics shaped by scientific and technological advances and corresponding regulatory approaches. Starting with the trend of regulatory cooperation, the book focuses on prominent fields in international trade, information technology, energy, and public health. The final section reflects upon the position of intellectual property rights, a key concern in cross-border trade. This work is the first of its kind to give a timely review and assessment of the most critical challenges facing policymakers and academics in the newest wave of transformation in global trade governance. The book will appeal to academics who are researching in international economic law, technology law and policy, and political science. Practitioners and policy makers who are active in the field of international trade will also find great value in this work. Contributors include: W.-M. Choi, S.-J. Feng, M.-Z. Gao, B. Hazucha, C.-F. Lin, H.-W. Liu, C.-F. Lo, P. Mavroidis, B. Mercurio, Y. Naiki, S.-Y. Peng, S. Shadikhodjaev, R.H. Weber, M. Wu, P. Yu

The subject of investment relationships between the European Union and China is an increasingly vital topic to understand, yet academic literature has until now been underexplored. Bringing together expert contributors, this book provides a critical analysis of the current law and policy between the EU and China, which will prove to be vital in the field of international economic law. Divided into three parts, this book deals with the key issues of the EU-China investment partnership and its implications, both internally and internationally. Each chapter in China-European Union Investment Relationships covers a core theme of the subject of international economic law, including competition law, financial regulation, economic integration and dispute resolution. Covering the key topics in the area, and drawing diverse perspectives into a single collection, this book is an important resource for scholars and practitioners in legal and policy fields, and will be invaluable for students of trade and investment law to understand in more detail human rights and environmental law and policy. Contributors include: J. Baumgartner, J. Chaisse, N.B. Duong, D. Freeman, M. Hodgson, J. Hu, J. Jemielniak, C.-C. Kao, P. Kerneis, D.J. Lewis, F. Lupo-Pasini, E. Neframi, F.D. Simoes, V.V. Thien, C. Titi, C.-H. Wu

The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) constitutes a key pillar of the project of European integration, and the law serves as the infrastructure of the EU's system of economic governance. This comprehensive Research Handbook analyses and explains this complex architecture from a legal point of view and looks ahead to the challenges it faces and how these can be resolved. Bringing together contributions from leading academics from across Europe and top lawyers from several EU institutions, this Research Handbook is the first to cover all aspects of the Eurozone's legal ecosystem, including the fiscal, monetary, banking, and capital markets unions. In doing so, it offers an up-to-date and in depth assessment of the norms and procedures that underpin EMU, exploring the latest developments, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the existing framework, and making suggestions for necessary reform through policy and law. Scholars and advanced students with an interest in EU economic law will find this Research Handbook to be an indispensable guide. It will also prove valuable to policy-makers and legal advisors working in EU institutions, as well as practitioners in the field and officials in both EU and national administrations.

International investment law is one of the most dynamic fields of international law, and yet it has been criticised for failing to strike a fair balance between private and public interests. In this valuable contribution to the current debate, Valentina Vadi examines the merits and pitfalls of arbitral tribunals? use of the concepts of proportionality and reasonableness to review the compatibility of a state?s regulatory actions with its obligations under international investment law. Investment law scholars have hitherto given greater attention to the concept of proportionality than to reasonableness; this pivotal book combats this trajectory by examining both concepts in such a way that it does not advocate one over the other, but instead enables the reader to make informed choices. The author also explores the intensity of review as one of the main tools to calibrate the different interests underlying investor-state arbitrations. This timely book offers a useful conceptual framework for reconciling the opposing interests at stake, making it a valuable resource for international law scholars and practitioners and other interested readers.

Digital Platforms and Global Law focuses on digital platforms and identifies their relevant legal profiles in terms of transnational and international law. It qualifies digital platforms as private legal orders, which exercise the legislative, executive, and (para)jurisdictional power within them. Starting from this assumption, the author studies the relationship between these orders and state, transnational, and international orders. The book first explores the reasons for the inadequacy of the current regulatory matrix and goes on to detail the need for a new paradigm; a shift from the current matrix of market regulation to one of negotiation. The author then examines the lack of effectiveness of current tools and explores how better versions, tools of uniform law, are emerging. This unique exploration will appeal to governments, regulatory authorities, digital platforms, businesses, and students and will find further audience with policy makers and practitioners.

This book identifies and examines the legal challenges facing the shipping industry and ship management today. It first addresses flag state rules and private international law as organisational tools of the shipowner for establishing the applicable legal framework in an age of increasing regulatory activity and extraterritorial effect of legislation. It then focuses on sustainability requirements and the liability of shipping companies managing supply chains and ships as waste. The third section considers challenges stemming from times of financial crisis and deals with the cross-border impact of shipping insolvencies, the UNCITRAL Model Law, and the approaches of different jurisdictions. Finally, the fourth section concerns digitalisation and automation, including delivery on the basis of digital release codes, bills of lading based on blockchain technology, the use of web portals and data sharing, and particular aspects of the law relating to autonomous ships, notably in marine insurance and carriage of goods. The book will be a useful resource for academics and practising lawyers working in shipping and maritime law.

A Guide to State Succession in International Investment Law is the first work of its kind to provide a comprehensive analysis of State succession issues arising in the context of international investment law. The book examines the legal consequences in the field of investor-State arbitration arising from the disappearance or the creation of a State, or from a transfer of territory between States. Specifically, it analyses whether a successor State is bound by the investment treaties (bilateral and multilateral) and the State contracts which had been signed by the predecessor State before the event of succession. Key features include:? Much-needed examination of the practice of States in the context of succession to bilateral, multilateral treaties and State contracts? comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of international arbitration cases involving issues of State succession? practical guidance on the application of Rules of State succession in investment arbitration cases, including when succession occurs during arbitral proceedings ? assessment of the theoretical reasoning behind previously unexplored issues in State succession. Actors who are called upon to apply Rules of State succession in investment arbitration cases will find this book a valuable source of practical guidance. Researchers in the field of international investment law will also find this to be a compelling text, with strong theoretical foundations.

This detailed and perceptive book examines the extent and scope of how rules for accession to the WTO may vary between countries, approaching the concerns that some countries enter with a better deal than others. Dylan Geraets critiques these additional ?rules? and aims to answer the question of whether new Members of the WTO are under stricter rules than the original Members, whilst analysing the accession process to the multilateral trading system. Taking an integrated approach, the author combines the results of a Mapping Exercise of all 36 Protocols of accession with a legal analysis of the decisions by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body involving Protocols of Accession. In doing so, this book provides the first comprehensive analysis of the issue of Member-specific ?WTO-Plus? commitments in Protocols of Accession. Whilst addressing the institutional and historical aspects of the WTO accession process, it provides a vital update to the existing scholarship on WTO accession, offering coverage of all accessions including those of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Liberia. Accession to the World Trade Organization will be invaluable reading for academics interested in WTO accession practice, as well as lawyers, practitioners and government officials in the field of WTO accession.

In the minds of some, complying with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and related laws is easy: 'you just don't bribe.' The reality, as sophisticated professionals should know, is not so simple. This book is for professionals across various disciplines who can assist in risk management and want to learn strategies for minimizing risk under aggressively enforced bribery laws. Written by a leading expert with real-world practice experience, this book elevates knowledge and skills through a comprehensive analysis of all legal authority and other relevant sources of information. It also guides readers through various components of compliance best practices from the fundamentals of conducting a risk assessment, to effectively communicating compliance expectations, to implementing and overseeing compliance strategies. With a focus on active learning, this book allows readers to assess their acquired knowledge through various issue-spotting scenarios and skills exercises and thereby gain confidence in their specific job functions. Anyone seeking an informed and comprehensive understanding of the modern era of enforcement of bribery laws and related risk management strategies will find this book to be a valuable resource including in-house compliance personnel, FCPA and related practitioners, board of director members and executive officers.

The editors' substantive introduction and the specially commissioned chapters in this Handbook explore the emergence of transnational labour law and its contested contours by juxtaposing the expansion of traditional legal methods with the proliferation of contemporary alternatives such as indicators, framework agreements and consumer-led initiatives. Key international (ILO, IMF, OECD) and regional (EU, IACHR, SADC) institutions are studied for their coverage of such classic topics as freedom of association, equality, and sectoral labour standard-setting, as well as for the space they provide for dialogue. The volume underscores transnational labour law's capacity to build hard and soft law bridges to migration, climate change and development. The volume roots transnational labour law in a counter-hegemonic struggle for social justice. Bringing together the scholarship of 41 experts from around the globe, this book encompasses and goes beyond the role of international and regional organizations in relation to labour standards and their enforcement, providing new insights into debates around freedom of association, equality and the elimination of forced labour and child labour. By including the influence of consumers in supply chains alongside the more traditional actors in this field such as trade unions, it combines a range of perspectives both theoretical and contextual. Several chapters interrogate whether transnational labour law can challenge domestic labour law's traditional exclusions through expansive approaches to equality. The volume moves beyond WTO linkage debates of the past to consider emerging developments toward social regionalism. Several chapters explore and challenge public and private international aspects of transnational labour law, revealing some fragmentation alongside dynamic experimentation and normative settling. The book argues that 'social justice' is at least as important to the project of transnational labour law today as it was to the establishment of international labour law. Academics, students and practitioners in the fields of labour law, international law, human rights, political science, transnational studies, and corporate social responsibility, will benefit from this critical resource, given the book s eye-opening examination of labour governance in the contemporary economy. Contributors: Z. Adams, P.C. Albertson, J. Allain, R.-M.B. Antoine, A. Asante, P.H. Bamu, M. Barenberg, J.R. Bellace, G. Bensusan, A. Blackett, L. Boisson de Chazournes, S. Charnovitz, B. Chigara, K. Claussen, L. Compa, S. Cooney, S. Deakin, J.M. Diller, D.J. Doorey, R.-C. Drouin, P.M. Dumas, F.C. Ebert, C. Estlund, A. van Hoek, J. Hunt, K. Kolben, C. La Hovary, B. Langille, J. Lopez Lopez, I. Martin, F. Maupain, F. Milman-Sivan, R.S. Mudarikwa, A. Nononsi, T. Novitz, C. Sheppard, A.A. Smith, A. Suktahnkar, J.-M.Thouvenin, A. Trebilcock, R.Zimmer

Antidumping trade protection is one of the most frequent and ubiquitous trade policies in the global economy. This review discusses the key reference pieces in the antidumping literature that have critically defined and shaped what we know about this important and unique form of trade protection. The review critically analyzes the literature and discusses its future directions - it is an important research tool not only for new and established scholars in international economics, but also policymakers and legal scholars.

The centrality of natural resources to global economic growth has placed the debate over their ownership and control at the forefront of legal, territorial and political disputes. Combining both legal and policy expertise with academic and practitioner perspectives this book considers the dimensions of natural resource governance at a time when disputes over their use grow more acute. Focusing on the law, regulation and governance of natural resources, this timely work examines in detail the conflicts and contradictions arising at the intersection between international economic law, sustainable development and other areas of international law, most notably human rights law and environmental law. Exploring the views of different stakeholder groups in the natural resources sectors, key chapters consider whether their differing interests and concerns are adequately addressed under national and international law. This book will appeal to scholars of law, political science and development studies. It will also benefit policy practitioners and advocacy specialists in development NGOs, research institutes and international organisations. Contributors include: S. Adelman, J.P. Bohoslavsky, C. Buggenhoudt, L. Cotula, D. Davitti, J. Faundez, J. Justo, L. Martin, J. McEldowney, S. McEldowney, C. Ochoa, D. Ong, M. Picq, F. Smith, C. Tan, J. Van Alstine, E. Wilson

The 1970s are of particular relevance for understanding the socio-economic changes still shaping Western societies today. The collapse of traditional manufacturing industries like coal and steel, shipbuilding, and printing, as well as the rise of the service sector, contributed to a notable sense of decline and radical transformation. Building on the seminal work of Lutz Raphael and Anselm Doering-Manteuffel, Nach dem Boom, which identified a "social transformation of revolutionary quality" that ushered in "digital financial capitalism," this volume features a series of essays that reconsider the idea of a structural break in the 1970s. Contributors draw on case studies from France, the Netherlands, the UK, the US, and Germany to examine the validity of the "after the boom" hypothesis. Since the Boom attempts to bridge the gap between the English and highly productive German debates on the 1970s.

International economic law and human rights have been rapidly evolving and expanding in recent decades. This collection grew out of a central objective to explore methods of domestic engagement with international trade and human rights norms, and the inherent difficulties in establishing balanced links between these two international law regimes. It does so by providing an analysis of global regulation and the impact of international organizations on domestic laws. Through conceptual and structural analysis coupled with local analysis and a China-focused case study, this book investigates the socio-legal dimension of the interaction between international economic law and human rights, and particularly the relationships between local arrangements and international legal regulations and rules. The common thread of the chapters in this collection is a focus on the application of socio-legal normative paradigms in building knowledge and policy support for coordinating local performance with international trade and human rights standards in ways that are mutually sustaining. The authors also suggest new approaches to government policies on trade development and human rights protection. The substantive excellence and complexity of the research presented make it an excellent resource for students and scholars of International Law. Contributors include: S. Biddulph, L. Biukovic, E. Cedillo, T. Cottier, D. Drache, M. Hirsch, M. Mitrani, E.-U. Petersmann, P. Potter, N. Ramirez-Espinosa, L. Toohey, V. Vadi

This Research Handbook explores issues related to the principle of exhaustion of intellectual property rights. To date, the application of this principle continues to vary from country to country, and there is increasing pressure to clarify the extent of its application both at the national level and in the context of international trade with respect to parallel imports. Notably, from the Americas to the European Union, Asia-Pacific, and Africa, courts and policy makers are asking similar questions: Should exhaustion apply at the national, regional, or international level? Should parallel imports be considered lawful imports? Should copyright, patent, and trademark laws follow the same regime? Should countries attempt to harmonize their approaches? To what extent should living matters and self-replicating technologies be subject to the principle of exhaustion? To what extent have the rise of digital goods and the 'Internet of things' redefined the concept of exhaustion in cyberspace? The goal of this book is to explore these questions. The book also highlights how a one-size answer may not fit all the current challenges that the courts and policy makers are facing in this area. This Research Handbook will be of interest to academics, judges and other practitioners looking for an in-depth study on the topic, offering both of detailed analysis of the current state of play, and a discussion of the challenges that arise on a global scale. Contributors include: F.M. Abbott, I. Calboli, V. Chiappetta, A.G. Chronopoulos, C.M. Correa, J.I. Correa, J. Drexl, S. Frankel, D.J. Gervais, S. Ghosh, C. Heath, R.M. Hilty, A. Katz, B. Kim, M. LaFrance, E. Lee, Y.J. Liebesman, K.-C. Liu, N.-L.W. Loon, S.M. Maniatis, K.E. Maskus, P.-E. Moyse, Y. Pai, A. Perzanowski, J.H. Reichmann, J.A. Rothchild, J. Schultz, C.M. Stothers, M. Trimble, M.S. Van Houweling, S.R. Wasserman Rajec, G. Westkamp, B. Wilson, C. Yin, X. Yu

Energy security is a burning issue in a world where 1.4 billion people still have no access to electricity. This book is about finding solutions for energy security through the international trading system. Focusing mainly on the European Union as a case study, this holistic and comprehensive analysis of the existing legal and geopolitical instruments strives to identify the shortcomings of the international and EU energy trade governance systems, concluding with the notion of a European Energy Union and what the EU is politically prepared to accept as part of its unified energy security. This snapshot of multilateral, regional and bilateral energy trade governance deals with energy transit from the perspective of the Energy Charter Treaty as a means to enhance EU energy security, and examines the system of law and governance of international trade in unconventional fossil fuels. The authors analyze concerns that arise from preferential trade agreements and renewable energy from the EU's perspective, and explain how the EU can diversify its energy supply to improve its energy security. This book will be of interest to students, scholars, lawyers, economists, policymakers, and think tanks dealing with the links between energy security and international trade, as well as those communities relating to other energy-related disciplines.

Providing insights on the products of a unique period for academic research in international economics, this review is an important piece of literature for a vital area of study. Highlighting main issues such as welfare gains and losses, trade patterns and international transaction interventions, the author provides a timely and comprehensive research review on the heavily debated topic of international trade and investment.

In response to the primacy of English law as the lingua franca governing petroleum transactions, and the increased global demand for new sources of oil and gas, this fully updated new edition analyses the application of English law to contracts for project investment, financing, and development. The book provides practitioners and other parties with essential operational detail, as well as advising on the implications of English law on the interpretation of relevant provisions. The scope extends, unusually, beyond petroleum contracts made in the UK to cover all petroleum contracts worldwide, delivering exceptionally extensive coverage of this ever-growing sector for an international market. This work is a stand-alone practical guide on the application of English law to petroleum contracts, and provides a detailed and scholarly level of analysis, with reference to all relevant contracts and case law. Beginning with an introduction to the English legal system and the law of general contract, the author goes on to distinguish those characteristics that set petroleum contracts apart from others, including distinction between upstream, midstream, and downstream agreements. The contracts considered include those for the financing, management, sale, purchase and exchange of petroleum assets and interests (collectively called interest contracts), and contracts for the management, sale, purchase and exchange of petroleum quantities and petroleum storage, transportation and capacities (collectively called commodity contracts). Subsequent chapters introduce preliminary petroleum contracts and the obligation to negotiate, conditions precedent and subsequent, joint ventures, and the involvement third parties and the implications for privity in this context. Breaches and doctrines triggered by the impossibility of performance are set out in detail, alongside legal advice on damages, termination, liability allocation and equitable remedies. All relevant provisions are analysed in a final chapter of miscellaneous analysis, ensuring a truly comprehensive treatment of the sector. This new edition has been updated with new chapters on contract architecture and related issues and new sections on the Limitation Act and tolling, further assurances, quantum meruit and estoppel. Chapters have been updated in light of key cases on good faith and relational contracts, fiduciary duties and consequential loss recognitions, amongst others. As English law continues to grow in international importance, this is a key text for practitioners in a number of jurisdictions who are looking to draft contracts or handle international transactions under the umbrella of English law.

Public Private Partnership for WTO Dispute Settlement is an interdisciplinary work examining the growing interaction between business entities and public officials. Crucially, it identifies how this relationship can enable developing countries to effectively utilize the provisions of the World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Understanding (WTO DSU). Building on more than five years of empirical investigation, Amrita Bahri reflects on the dispute settlement partnership experiences of the top DSU users from the developed and developing world. This enables her to evaluate a diverse range of dispute settlement partnership strategies, which have allowed the governments involved to harness resources and expertise from the private sector. With practical suggestions on dispute settlement capacity building, this book provides a roadmap to policymakers, industry representatives and legal professionals on how to effectively engage with business entities for the resolution of international trade conflicts. It also provides a template for teaching and research activities to scholars focusing on international trade law, development studies and international dispute settlement.

Regulatory Autonomy in International Economic Law provides the first extensive legal analysis of Australia's trade and investment treaties in the context of their impact on national regulatory autonomy. This thought-provoking study offers compelling lessons for not only Australia but also countries around the globe in relation to pressing current problems, including the uncertain future of the World Trade Organization and widespread concerns about the legitimacy of investor-State dispute settlement. Through a critical exploration of evolving patterns of treaty practice, the authors address the complex relationship between international economic law and a State's regulatory autonomy in the key areas of intellectual property, services, and investment. This insightful investigation highlights problems of inconsistency across treaties, limited transparency and consultation in the negotiation of treaties, and increasing restrictions on policy space in intellectual property protection. These factors are all crucial in preserving a country's ability to pursue policy objectives such as protecting public health and the environment while capturing the benefits of international trade and foreign investment. This discerning book will prove instrumental to scholars and practitioners in the fields of international trade law, international investment law, public international law, and intellectual property. It will also appeal to government agencies and international organisations working in these areas or in matters of public health or the environment.

“… a highly valuable contribution to the legal literature. It adopts a useful, modern approach to teaching the young generation of lawyers how to deal with the increasing internationalisation of law. It is also helpful to the practising lawyer and to legislators.” (Uniform Law Review/Revue de Droit Uniforme) Volume 4 of this new edition deals with movable and intangible property law. The book addresses the transformation of the models of movable property in commercial and financial transactions between professionals in the international flow of goods, services, money, information, and technology. In this transnational legal order, the emphasis in the new law merchant or modern lex mercatoria of movable property turns to risk management, asset liquidity, and transactional and payment finality. Particular attention is given to the notion of assets and asset classes, the inclusion of monetary claims, the transformation of assets in production and distribution chains, and the type of user, income and enjoyment rights that can be established in them, when they become proprietary, what that means, the role of party autonomy in the creation and operation of these rights, and how they are handled between professional participants and upon a sale to consumers. The volume compares common law and civil law concepts - the one being geared to improving value, the other to consumption; it then identifies their relevance especially in modern finance, and concludes by indicating future directions. The complete set in this magisterial work is made up of 6 volumes. Used independently, each volume allows the reader to delve into a particular topic. Alternatively, all volumes can be read together for a comprehensive overview of transnational comparative commercial, financial and trade law.

As the ice around the Arctic landmass recedes, the territory is becoming a flashpoint in world affairs. New trade routes, cutting thousands of miles off journeys, are available, and the Arctic is thought to be home to enormous gas and oil reserves. The territorial lines are new and hazy. This book looks at how Russia deals with the outside world vis a vis the Arctic. Given Russia's recent bold foreign policy interventions, these are crucial issues and the realpolitik practiced by the Russian state is essential for understanding the Arctic's future.Here, Geir Honneland brings together decades of cutting-edge research - investigating the political contexts and international tensions surrounding Russia's actions. Honneland looks specifically at 'region-building' and environmental politics of fishing and climate change, on nuclear safety and nature preservation, and also analyses the diplomatic relations surrounding clashes with Norway and Canada, as well as at the governance of the Barents Sea. The Politics of the Arctic is a crucial addition to our understanding of contemporary International Relations concerning the Polar North.