Blog

The Enforcement Critique and Its Selective Application to International Law 

Both students and experts of international law are familiar with the claim that “international law isn’t real.” Although critics advance this claim through a variety of arguments, one of the most influential is that international law lacks effective enforcement mechanisms. 

Does the Arab World Need Stronger IP Enforcement?

Many Arab countries are part of the World Trade Organization’s agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (“TRIPS”) and countries such as Jordan and Kuwait have enacted facially strong intellectual property (“IP”) laws.[1] Yet, individuals visiting the region are likely to encounter several common types of IP infringement.

Antitrust and Distrust: The U.S. and EU’s Efforts to Reign in Big Tech

In the wake of scandals like Cambridge Analytica and the 2016 presidential election interference, many have deemed “Big Tech” too powerful.[1] But U.S. policymakers are yet to implement comprehensive regulations—perhaps because major issues range from anticompetitive behavior to disinformation. Thus, some suggest looking to our European counterparts for help.

Niqab and the Religious Freedom Violation in France

Hijab colloquially refers to a veil covering the head.[1] The word niqab refers to a veil covering the lower half of the face. In normative fiqh, or Islamic jurisprudence, covering the head and hair is obligatory, with a difference of opinion on whether covering the face is necessary.[2] In 2010, France passed a law, Act No.

Lessons on U.S.-China Relations from China’s Anti-Monopoly Law

China adopted a market economy in 1979, pulling nearly 800 million people out of poverty.[1] As growth slowed, China turned to new policies to nurture its fledgling socialist market economy.[2] In 2007, China adopted the Anti-Monopoly Law (“AML”), sparking international debate.[3] Rather than trying to position itself as a superior alternative to the U.S., China’s reasoning behind adopting AML reveals that it wants to protect its survival above all.

Afghanistan’s Shifting Media Law

In August 2021, the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, claiming the capitol after President Ashraf Ghani left the country.[1] Among the changes that resulted from the shift in power was a difference in the country’s rules regulating journalism and journalists.

International Copyright and AI-Generated Artwork

Artificial intelligence (“AI”) has made it possible to achieve wonderful things, such as the completion of symphonies[1] or their movements.[2] However, the United States (“U.S.”) is leaving important AI-generated artwork unprotected under its current Copyright regime.[3] This frustrates the goals of Copyright Law, which aim to incentivize creativity and promote societal development through the protection of creative works.[4] Thus, the U.S.

Haiti, Climate Displacement, and International Law

The impacts of climate change are continuing to worsen, and in the Caribbean and Latin America, Haiti is the country most vulnerable to those impacts.[1] When states are already fragile from political and economic turmoil, environmental disasters and long-term climatic change further stress those systems, leading, at the extreme, to international displacement and migration.

Preserving our Culture

As fundamentalism and extremism rears its ugly head, our communities are subject to greater danger. Instead of expressing their opinions peacefully via a civic debate, these radical groups subject innocent people to the worst forms of terror. One of those forms involves attacks on cultural treasures and historical sites.

Blood and Justice: Crisis in Michoacàn

In 2011, the Knights Templar rose to be one of the strongest cartels in Mexico. Situated in Michoacán, one of Mexico’s western states, the Knights Templar maintained its power thanks to strongman Servando Gomez.