Book Reviews Bleckmann, Albert. Allgemeine Staats- und Völkerrechtslehre. Köln: Carl Heymanns Verlag, 1995. Pp. x, 975. DM 280; öS 2,200; sFr 280. Even though different fields of law exist, they do influence each other and reveal common structures which, in turn, change depending on the current circumstances. For some time now, a tendency in international law can be observed, away from a law of coexistence, which essentially aims at distinguishing and securing spheres of state competence towards a legal order which focuses more on cooperation. According to the author, the cause for this lies in the emergence of universal interests. Internationally a development is occurring which took place nationally a long time ago and which can be observed very clearly also in European Community law. Intellectually always on the go, this is justification enough for the author to draw parallels between all branches of law and to predict the future development of international law. If one does want to look at several legal orders at the same time, it is necessary to keep some distance. Hence, refined dissections cannot be expected in all the areas that are mentioned, like sovereignty, the notion of state, sources of law, enforcement and even a section on the general system of science and its methods (which fortunately remains mostly in the area of jurisprudence). Also, one has to be forbearing that the author does not discuss the appropriate literature exhaustively. He relies mostly on his earlier works--which is not unusual for him--and consequently remains in the cosmos of his own thoughts in which terminology and doctrines at times take a somewhat peculiar appearance. This is regrettable because some problems have already been better brought to a point. Also, Bleckmann would not have been able to talk quite as lightheartedly about individual and general interests of both subjective and objective natures--notions of principal importance to him--and about the procedures with which they have to be determined. I am not disputing that growing interdependence of states affects their sovereignty and international law. One might also discuss if a change of paradigm is due to better explain international relations and their legal rules. One might further make suggestions how international law can be given more effect under the altered circumstances. This requires a precise analysis of current international law and its deficits which is equally precisely contrasted to the advantages of ones own view, a work that has yet to be done. Ulrich Fastenrath University of Dresden Faculty of Law
	© 1990-2004 European Journal of International Law All comments and suggestions should be sent to webmaster This site is part of the Academy of European Law online, a joint partnership of the Jean Monnet Center at NYU School of Law and the Academy of European Law at the European University Institute. This file was last modified: Tuesday, October 14, 2003 12:29PM