International Law And Religious Non-governmental Organization

My aim in this dissertation is to investigate the present legal status of religiousnon-governmental organizations (RNGOs) in international law, and to discuss thisstatus in relation to the functioning and legitimacy of the international system. Theseemingly technical issue of international legal status is closely related to broaderquestions about participation and representation of different groups on theinternational plane and the legitimacy of international law. The overall perspectivechosen here is therefore a systematic one, which sees questions about the role ofRNGOs as legal actors as issues of how international law functions, and ought tofunction, as a system. It should nevertheless be clarified that it is not asserted thatRNGOs are "good" or "bad". In fact, this study concentrates on RNGOs as aparticular form of association, and on the role of RNGOs generally within theinternational legal context.This dissertation is divided into 5 chapters. Chapterâ… contains the theoreticalframework of the study. This first, introductory, chapter outlines the political andlegal setting in which the study is placed. It deals with a number of basiccharacteristics of international law and international political developments anddiscusses issues of the legitimacy of international law. In that context, chapterâ…¡examines definitions of religious non-governmental organizations and specifies theterm for the purpose of this investigation, along with the organizational characteristicsof RNGOs which have been necessary for the following discussions. Chapterâ…¢looks into the legal status of RNGOs in international law. Chapterâ…£&â…¤looks intothe participation of RNGOs in international legal system. It is asserted that RNGOscan construct and cement an international regime by creating and mobilizing normsfrom below. On this basis, Chapterâ…¤focuses on the role of RNGOs in the socialconstruction of international legal system, and also specifies the structural dilemmaRNGOs face with.In short, in view of what has been said above about the role of RNGOs inrelation to the legitimacy of international law and the position that has actually been provided for RNGOs in international law, it can be asserted that religious thinkingwhich RNGOs represent has helped direct international law to the future bystrengthening its aspirational content. It therefore helps ensure that international lawis more than a mere reflection of power politics or a crystallization of custom.Religious thinking incorporated into the law encourages a progressive, moraldevelopment of international relations.