If your adult child becomes incapacitated or dies, you do not automatically gain custody of your grandchildren. Sometimes, depending on the age of the children and whether or not they are adoptable will determine who gets custody. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal bonus monies are given to states each year when they exceed the number of adoptions from the previous year. Your grandchild may be needed to help reach the numbers necessary for your state to receive its bonus.

This peer-reviewed book provides detailed insights into how space and its applications are, and can be used to support the development of the full range and diversity of African societies, as encapsulated in the African Union's Agenda 2063. Following on from Part 1, which was highly acclaimed by the space community, it focuses on the role of space in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa, but covers an even more extensive array of relevant and timely topics addressing all facets of African development. It demonstrates that, while there have been significant achievements in recent years in terms of economic and social development, which have lifted many of Africa's people out of poverty, there is still a great deal that needs to be done to fulfill the basic needs of Africa's citizens and afford them the dignity they deserve. To this end, space is already being employed in diverse fields of human endeavor to serve Africa's goals for its future, but there is much room for further incorporation of space systems and data. Providing a comprehensive overview of the role space is playing in helping Africa achieve its developmental aspirations, the book will appeal to both students and professionals in fields such as space studies, international relations, governance, and social and rural development.

This book explores the transnational legal infrastructure for dispute resolution in transnational securities transactions. It discusses the role of law and dispute resolution in securities transactions, the types of disputes arising from them, and the institutional and legal aspects of dispute resolution, both generally and regarding aggregate litigation. It illustrates different dispute resolution systems and aggregate litigation methods, and examines the legal issues of dispute resolution arising from transnational securities transactions. In addition, the book proposes two systems of dispute resolution for transnational securities transactions depending on the type of dispute: collective redress through arbitration and a network of alternative dispute resolution systems.

Governing Arctic Seas introduces the concept of ecopolitical regions, using in-depth analyses of the Bering Strait and Barents Sea Regions to demonstrate how integrating the natural sciences, social sciences and Indigenous knowledge can reveal patterns, trends and processes as the basis for informed decisionmaking. This book draws on international, interdisciplinary and inclusive (holistic) perspectives to analyze governance mechanisms, built infrastructure and their coupling to achieve sustainability in biophysical regions subject to shared authority. Governing Arctic Seas is the first volume in a series of books on Informed Decisionmaking for Sustainability that apply, train and refine science diplomacy to address transboundary issues at scales ranging from local to global. For nations and peoples as well as those dealing with global concerns, this holistic process operates across a 'continuum of urgencies' from security time scales (mitigating risks of political, economic and cultural instabilities that are immediate) to sustainability time scales (balancing economic prosperity, environmental protection and societal well-being across generations). Informed decisionmaking is the apex goal, starting with questions that generate data as stages of research, integrating decisionmaking institutions to employ evidence to reveal options (without advocacy) that contribute to informed decisions. The first volumes in the series focus on the Arctic, revealing legal, economic, environmental and societal lessons with accelerating knowledge co-production to achieve progress with sustainability in this globally-relevant region that is undergoing an environmental state change in the sea and on land. Across all volumes, there is triangulation to integrate research, education and leadership as well as science, technology and innovation to elaborate the theory, methods and skills of informed decisionmaking to build common interests for the benefit of all on Earth.

In many societies, histories of exclusion, racism, and nationalist violence often create divisions so deep that finding a way to deal with the atrocities of the past seems nearly impossible. These societies face difficult practical questions about how to devise new state and civil society institutions that will respond to massive or systematic violations of human rights, recognize victims, and prevent the recurrence of abuse. Identities in Transition: Challenges for Transitional Justice in Divided Societies brings together a rich group of international researchers and practitioners who, for the first time, examine transitional justice through an identity lens. They tackle ways that transitional justice can act as a means of political learning across communities; foster citizenship, trust, and recognition; and break down harmful myths and stereotypes, as steps toward meeting the difficult challenges for transitional justice in divided societies."

The law relating to recourse is always changing, but the present period is notable for the number of countries whose law has recently undergone, is now undergoing, or is about to undergo extensive reform. This makes the comparison of differing systems particularly difficult. This book is the second volume in the series "Civil Procedure in Europe." It gives a comparative overview of the systems of recourse against civil judgments actually in operation in 14 countries of the European Union. The reports were written against the background of a document originally circulated in July 1995, but each of them remains the original work of its individual author. The contributions are written by national expects distinguished in the field of civil procedural law. The main reports are written in English, French, German and in one case Spanish, and are followed by summaries in the remaining languages. Extensive bibliographies have been included, to enable the reader to find material for further study. The national reports systematically address the following: a description of the right of appeal in each country; the nature and scope of the appeal against first and second instance judgments; enforceability of Judgment subject to recourse; and default judgments. Recourse against judgments covers the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England and Wales, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

It is a commonplace that pollution knows no borders, and that environmental law must allow for cross-border implementation. The European Union specifies this principle in EC directives on integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC), on environmental impact assessment (EIA), and on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (Seveso II). This is the first book to investigate - from both empirical and normative perspectives - the effectiveness of these directives at the national level. It provides by far the most extensive comparative analysis and evaluation of the industrial permitting and inspections, EIA, and major accident prevention in the EU. Offering an in-depth study of the transposition and implementation of EC environmental directives in eight EU member states (Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom), the author - who has played a significant role in the formulation of environmental legislation and regulation at both the national (German) and EU levels - provides a stable base for an assessment of the benefits and costs of the integrated approach to environmental protection. Among the factors considered are the following: key features of national constitutional, administrative, and judicial systems which provide the framework for environmental regulations and their implementation in the eight countries under study; procedures and substantive requirements transposing the IPPC, EIA and Seveso II directives into national laws; and, evaluation of national deficiencies and the extent of "muddling through." The empirical part of Dr. Bohne's analysis draws on 138 expert interviews with public and private actors, a survey of 178 public authorities, and document analyses of selected industrial permits and environmental impact statements. His comparative analysis of procedural, organizational, and substantive integration makes it possible to identify and compare national accomplishments in regulatory integration, and offers new insights into the effectiveness and limits of EC law. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for European governance and better regulation after the enlargement of the EU. This thoroughly researched, rigorous, and insightful study will be of great interest and value to policymakers, regulators, business people, environmental NGOs, consultants, and lawyers, as well as to students of environmental policies and European governance.

Competition law has traditionally been enforced in Europe via a public administrative authority, primarily the European Commission, but also increasingly by Member State National Competition Authorities. However, public enforcement does not compensate victims of competition law infringements. Private enforcement is central to US antitrust law enforcement, and the availability of class actions underscores the importance of consumer rights and redress. Over the last 20 years there has been considerable debate and developments in the EU to facilitate and encourage private enforcement, in particular in relation to consumer redress.

This book explores the human rights consequences of the new mercenarism, as channeled through so-called private military and security companies (PMSCs), and offers an overview of the evolution and status quo of both non-legal (soft law and self-regulation) and legal initiatives seeking to limit them. It addresses various topics, including the impact of the presence of non-state actors on human security using the cases of Afghanistan and Syria; research on PMSCs' impact on human rights in specific cases; the insufficiency and ineffectiveness of existing direct and indirect legal prohibitions on the use of mercenaries; various aspects of international human rights law and international humanitarian law related to the conduct of PMSCs; soft-law and self-regulation mechanisms; and the international minimum standard in general international law regarding the privatization, export, import, and contracting of PMSCs.

This monograph offers a longitudinal analysis of the developments in the European fundamental rights arena during the last decade. Decisions of critical importance on the future of the EU need to be taken by the EU institutions and the Member States' governments. The 'existential' crisis affecting Europe is essentially a crisis of values revealing a lack of shared vision. Based on this premise, this monograph contributes to the debate on how to overcome the current impasse. By situating the analysis of the EU in the context of a wider Europe, which includes the ECHR (and its interpretation by the ECtHR), this work challenges the idea that the project of European integration should be abandoned. Instead it proposes a re-orientation of this process, conceptualised as a dynamic interaction of different actors, sources and laws on fundamental rights within the wider Europe. Following an evaluation of the current fundamental rights' regimes, the monograph proposes a model of effective governance of fundamental rights in Europe based on the doctrines of dialogical constitutionalism and agency. This original and innovative contribution is enriched by findings from British Academy funded research on the European architecture of fundamental rights post-Lisbon Treaty.

This book addresses the theme of collective bargaining in different legal systems and explores legal framework of collective bargaining as well as the role of different bargaining models in domestic labour law systems in altogether twenty-one jurisdictions throughout the world. Recent development of collective bargaining regimes can be viewed as part of a larger development of labour law models that face increasing challenges caused by globalization and transition of work and workplaces. The book places particular emphasis on identifying and examining most important development trends affecting domestic labour law regimes and collective bargaining and regulatory responses thereto. The analysis offered extents to transnational dimension of collective bargaining. As the chapters analyse the influence of the legal frameworks of collective bargaining in different countries they provide unique comparative insight into the topic which is central to understanding the function of labour law.

This book integrates important milestone cases with new analyses to provide comprehensive coverage of environmental law and economics. It covers important international topics, including interactions of global environmental features and public/private health, economics of the institutions for optimal environmental management, extension of the Polluter Pays Principle to the global arena (including international trade), improved approach to the usage of cost-benefit analysis methods, economic or environmental decision-making under risk aversion and uncertainty, integration of operations in world trade and finance with the ecology and economics of the environment, objective treatment of methods of compliance, and dispute settlement procedures in the international environmental disputes arena.

Although it has been ranked the fourth largest destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world, Brazil has not enacted specific legislation to promote or protect FDI. Nor are there any investment treaties in force, so Brazilian companies investing abroad act without international legal protection. Considering the country's widely acclaimed "arrival" into the small family of the world's major trading nations, the question of Brazil's entry in the international FDI system - not only as an incentive to the inflow of foreign investment, but also to protect the investments of its national companies abroad - has become a hotly debated issue. This timely book, with its incisive reports on all important aspects of the matter, tackle this subject with prodigious knowledge and insight. With detailed analysis of investment-related legislation, including different legal and regulatory models, as well the examination of peculiarities of highly specialized industries present in Brazil, the authors cover such aspects as the following: investment in infrastructure, social areas such as education and health, commodities, and the oil and gas sector; to what extent expropriation under Brazilian law resembles the international standard of protection; political implications of Brazil's FDI stance with regard to the balance of interest within the Latin American region; foreign investment in light of the principle of national treatment; enforceability of arbitration agreements vis-a-vis the state, state entities, and state-owned companies; conflicts of jurisdiction between state courts and arbitral tribunals; arbitration involving companies in liquidation and reorganization proceedings; public - partnership contracts; and investment-related aspects of human rights and intellectual property rights.

Research Handbook on EU Institutional Law offers a critical look into the European Union: its legal foundations, competences and institutions. It provides an analysis of the EU legal system, its application at the national level and the prevalent role of the Court of Justice. Throughout the course of the Handbook the expert contributors discuss whether the European Union is well equipped for the 21st century and the numerous crises it has to handle. They revisit the call for an EU reform made in the Laeken Conclusions in 2001 to verify if its objectives have been achieved by the Treaty of Lisbon and in daily practice of the EU institutions. The book also delves into the concept of a Europe of different speeds, which - according to some - is inevitable in the EU comprising 28 Member States. Overall, the assessment of the changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty is positive, even if there are plenty of suggestions for further reforms to re-fit the EU for purpose. Students and scholars will find this original Handbook to be an invaluable resource, particularly due to its focus on topics for future discussion. Researchers and policy-makers will also benefit from the points raised in this book. Contributors include: F. Amtenbrink, M. Avbelj, M. Bobek, S. Blockmans, A.B. Capik, T. Capeta, M. Claes, D. Curtin, A. Cygan, B. de Witte, M. Everson, K. Gutman, M. Hillebrandt, S.L. Kaleda, M. Kuijer, A. Lazowski, J. Mendes, A. Sikora, K. van Duin, E. Vos

This book explores the objects, means and ends of international cultural heritage protection. It starts from a broad conception of cultural heritage that encompasses both tangible property, such as museum objects or buildings, and intangible heritage, such as languages and traditions. Cultural heritage thus defined is protected by various legal regimes, including the law of armed conflicts, UNESCO Conventions and international criminal law. With a view to strengthening international protection, the authors analyze existing regimes and elaborate innovative concepts, such as blue helmets of culture and safe havens for endangered cultural heritage. Finally, the ends of international protection come to the fore, and the authors address possible conflicts between protecting cultural diversity and wishes to strengthen cultural identity.

Advancing the Human Right to Health offers a prospective on the global response to one of the greatest moral, legal, and public health challenges of the 21st century - achieving the human right to health as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other legal instruments. Featuring writings by global thought-leaders in the world of health human rights, the book brings clarity to many of the complex clinical, ethical, economic, legal, and socio-cultural questions raised by injury, disease, and deeper determinants of health, such as poverty. Much more than a primer on the right to health, this book features an examination of profound inequalities in health, which have resulted in millions of people condemned to unnecessary suffering and hastened deaths. In so doing, it provides a thoughtful account of the right to health's parameters, strategies on ways in which to achieve it, and discussion of why it is so essential in a 21st century context. Country-specific case studies provide context for analysing the right to health and assessing whether, and to what extent, this right has influenced critical decision-making that makes a difference in people's lives. Thematic chapters also look at the specific challenges involved in translating the right to health into action. Advancing the Human Right to Health highlights the urgency to build upon the progress made in securing the right to health for all, offering a timely reminder that all stakeholders must redouble their efforts to advance the human right to health.

This book offers in-depth legal and political analysis concerning the compatibility of the Westphalian state model with globalization and the digital revolution. It explores the concept of democracy in a globalized world, discusses the legitimacy of economic integration in the global market, and presents three case studies (from Brazil, Taiwan and Spain) on the impact of social media on elections. It further entails novel perspectives on the impact of digitalization on national borders, and the role of citizens and experts in the shaping of globalization. A final chapter addresses the extent to which insights gained from the analysis of the abovementioned aspects will need to be considered in efforts to recover from the current global health and economic crisis.

One of the greatest figures in modern international law, James Brown Scott 1866-1943] intended to publish an autobiography titled Adventures in Internationalism. He wrote a few paragraphs for this book, but he never completed it. He decided instead to entrust his life's story to George A. Finch, a protege and friend. Finch began work on a biography with Scott's participation in the late 1930s, but he never completed it. Using Finch's manuscripts and notes Butler has produced a compelling study of Scott's key role in the international law movement, participation in several important diplomatic conferences and work as an author, secretary of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and guiding force behind the American Society of International Law. " Scott] fathered and fostered the development of international law during the greatest period of its history." --Manley O. Hudson, Harvard Alumni Bulletin XXXIII No. 14 (1 January 1931) 419. George A. Finch 1884-1957] was James Brown Scott's assistant and literary executor. He served as assistant director of the Division of International Law at the Carnegie Endowment, and, upon Dr. Scott's retirement, became that division's secretary and director. He was president of the Inter-American Academy of International and Comparative Law and held several positions at the American Society of International Law. At the time of his death he was honorary vice-president of the society and the honorary editor of its journal. He was the author of The Sources of Modern International Law (1937). William E. Butler is the John Edward Fowler Distinguished Professor of Law at Penn State University's Dickinson School of Law. He is the preeminent authority on the law of Russia and other former Soviet republics and the author, co-author, editor, or translator of more than 120 books on Soviet, Russian, Ukrainian and other Commonwealth of Independent States legal systems. Professor Emeritus of Comparative Law at the University of London, Professor Butler is the founder and director of The Vinogradoff Institute, which operates as a unit of Penn State Dickinson. The recipient of numerous honors for his service to Russian and international law, Professor Butler is an Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and is serving his third term as a member of the Russian International Court of Commercial Arbitration.