In this concise introduction to international law, students gain a clear appreciation for how politics shapes the development of international law, and how international law shapes political relations between states. Throughout the book, Rochester takes this complex subject and makes it accessible with his vibrant, easy-to-read prose.

Thoroughly revised and updated, this second edition includes coverage of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the military intervention in Libya, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the global economic recession. Based on reviewer feedback, the author reorganized several chapters, bringing coverage of jurisdiction to the forefront in order to better set the stage for subsequent chapters. With updates to all of the book's data, factual information, and hundreds of endnotes, Rochester presents the latest IL scholarship in a clear and straightforward manner.