Designed as an introduction to international law, this text explores the policies and actors that influence international legal decisions as well as diplomatic agreements relating to human rights, national boundaries and natural resources. Topics covered include the constitutive process, the role of international elites, state responsibility, and jurisdictional competency. This international perspective has applicability to both general international law courses and to courses or seminars with an international perspective on human rights, environmental law, war crimes, international boundaries or other related topics.