Legal and judicial reform, or rule of law promotion, is and is likely to remain a priority for international organizations, aid agencies and national governments. The elasticity of the rule of law concept allows it to invoke in support of conflict prevention and peace-building, political transition and human rights, and promoting economic development. Operationally, rule of law project design and programming seem to be converging worldwide. Yet, as rule of law promotion expands its geographic reach to new conflict zones and to Asia, diversity in local political, economic and social environments becomes more obvious. This volume explores what happens when global rule of law promotion confronts local realities, and with what results. We present a fresh collection of essays from new and established scholars in Europe, the United States, Australia and Japan. The contributors explore local case studies ranging from Aceh, Cambodia and East Timor through Vietnam and the PRC, as well as studies of international rule of law promoters including the EU, the World Bank and the UN Security Council. The contributions highlight the increased complexity of the field; the proliferation of local and non-state actors involved in rule of law promotion; and the need for more accountability and good governance by international actors themselves.
