Hannah Arendt and the Law

This book fills a major gap in the ever-increasing secondary literature on Hannah Arendt's political thought by providing a dedicated and coherent treatment of the many, various, and interesting things which Arendt had to say about law. Often obscured by more pressing or more controversial aspects of her work, Arendt nonetheless had interesting insights into Greek and Roman concepts of law, human rights, constitutional design, legislation, sovereignty, international tribunals, judicial review, and much more. The book retrieves these aspects of her legal philosophy, bringing together lawyers, as well as Arendt scholars, drawn from a range of disciplines (philosophy, political science, international relations), who have engaged in an internal debate, the dynamism of which is captured in print. Hannah Arendt and the Law is split into four sections: Part I explores the concept of law in Arendt's thought * Part II explores the legal aspects of Arendt's constitutional thought, first locating Arendt in the wider tradition of republican constitutionalism before turning attention to the role of courts and the role of parliament in her constitutional design * Part III explores Arendt's thought on international law from a variety of perspectives, covering international institutions, international criminal law, as well as the theoretical foundations of international law * Part IV debates the foundations, content, and meaning of Arendt's famous and influential claim that the 'right to have rights' is the one true human right. (Series: Law and Practical Reasons - Vol. 4)