Book Review: Hilary Charlesworth and Christine Chinkin, The Boundaries of International Law: A Feminist Analysis (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000, 414 pp., £17.99 pbk.)
| Author | Amy E. Eckhert |
| Date | 01 December 2000 |
| DOI | 10.1177/03058298000290030908 |
| Published date | 01 December 2000 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Book Reviews
939
chapter six, ‘Regional Dynamics in the Medite rranean’, as Calleya ana lyses the
geo-strategic varia bles i n t he Mediterrane an regio n e ncompassing po litical,
economic, security, and sp ecific policy measures, determining the stability factors
within th e region and what extent these measures are policy d etermination factors
for Western States and alli ances. His in-depth poli cy analysis, strongly manifest s
Calleya’s expertise i n such regional affairs, stressing the challe nges that regional
actors will face regarding i mminent and potentially co nflictual matters which the
Mediterrane an region may be forc ed to address, particularl y by the year 20 10 when
he predi cts that the Euro pean Union ‘will become by far the biggest single market
and t he world’s most concentrated area of eco nomic prosperity and i nternal
stability’ (p. 132).
This volume encompasse s the importa nce o f regi onalism and renders a
perspective into fut ure projecti ons. It co ntains carefully constructed and tho ught-
provokin g essays, clearly writ ten by serious personaliti es, excelling in the ir field of
expertise. This pub lication exhibits a comprehensive writing sty le, manifesting
exceptional editorial skills and content appreciated by those in the international
relations field, and ev en more spe cifically engaged in the area of region alism and
post-Cold War issu es.
MARIA T. CAMIL LERI
Maria T. Camill eri is a Research Student in the Depa rtment of International
Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science
Hilary Charlesworth and Christine Chinkin, The Boundaries of International
Law: A Feminist Analysis (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000, 414
pp., £17.99 pbk.).
The law has not always served wome n well. In their book The Bou ndaries of
Internatio nal Law: A Femini st Analysis, Hilary C harlesworth and Christine Chin kin
examine the ways in which international la w disserves women. At the most basic
level, inte rnational law marginalises wome n as well as issue s perceived as
‘women’s conce rns’. In addition to the implication s for women and th eir well
being, such margi nalisation poses more fundamental prob lems for internat ional
law. Excl usion of women and feminist p erspectives means that international law as
a discipline rests on gender-bia sed assumptions. The authors take a two-pronged
approach to addressing these issues of sexism within internationa l law. On one
hand, they attempt to fill gaps in the exi sting legal system throug h which wo man
and thei r concerns often fall . On the other hand, they argue that the system i tself is
flawed and that even apparent ly gender-neutra l concepts rest on sexist premises.
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