The issue of crisis phenomena within specific branches of international law escalating into a crisis of the international legal system

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu14.2025.109

Abstract

The article examines the correlation between crisis phenomena in specific branches of international law and crises of the international legal system by utilizing both historical and contemporary examples. It is shown that the topic of crises holds a prominent position in international legal research in Russia and abroad, focusing on their causes, manifestations and strategies for resolution. The growth of crisis phenomena is illustrated by the international treaty law, one of the oldest branches of international law, and the law of international organizations, which began to develop in the 19th century and now plays a crucial role in international legal affairs. Some signs of crisis phenomena in these international law branches have been identified and it is shown that non-compliance with the principles and norms of international law, developed by coordinating the will of participants in international relations, ignoring the negative trends in the world community’s life, adopting untimely measures to eliminate them can lead to a crisis of the entire international legal system, as happened during the World War II. It is concluded that there are mechanisms allowing crisis phenomena in one or more branches of international law not to escalate into a crisis of the international legal system, however, the interaction of branches of international law with common institutions of law can provoke a global crisis. Historically proven ways to prevent and overcome crisis phenomena in international law entail: ensuring that all actors adhere to international law principles, synchronizing theoretical advancements in international law with practical experiences of international legal interactions, codifying different branches of international law to prevent fragmentation, and making timely amendments to the statutory documents of international organizations.

Keywords:

international legal system, crisis, branches of international law, international treaty law, law of international organizations, science of international law, League of Nations, United Nations

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Published

2025-04-23

How to Cite

Dorskaia, A. A., & Dorskii, A. Y. (2025). The issue of crisis phenomena within specific branches of international law escalating into a crisis of the international legal system. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Law, 16(1), 127–137. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu14.2025.109

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Foreign and International Law

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Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Law" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.

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