The Law of Strangers

Edited by James Loeffler and Moria Paz

From the Nuremberg Trials to contemporary human rights, Jews have long played prominent roles in the making of international law. But the actual ties between Jewish heritage and legal thought remain a subject of mystery and conjecture even among specialists. This volume of biographical studies takes a unique interdisciplinary approach, pairing historians and legal scholars to explore how the Jewish identities and experiences shaped their legal thought and activism. Using newly-discovered sources and sophisticated interpretative methods, this book offers an alternative history of twentieth-century international legal profession – and a new model to the emerging field of international legal biography.

Advanced Praise

“Jewish jurists played a remarkable role in modern international law, and for many the impetus was the perilous plight of the Jewish people in the twentieth century. This fascinating anthology studies seven of the greatest, brilliantly connecting their lives, their ideas – and their blind spots as well – with the larger history of their tortured century.”
David Luban, Georgetown University Law Center

“The Law of Strangers brings together an impressive array of prominent legal scholars and historians to explore the enduring question of why so many leading twentieth-century international lawyers were Jewish and how their Jewish identity helped to shape international law. Pursuing an interdisciplinary and biographical approach, this book is a must-read for those interested in international law and Jewish history alike.”
Amalia D. Kessler, Stanford University Law School

Click here to read the Table of Contents.