Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
"In a world where inter-State multi-forum litigation multiplies, so does the risk of courts becoming diplomatic platforms to air State grievances.” Nowadays, the ICJ is called to confront this risk when dealing with the main political issues of the day.
Nikolaos Voulgaris’ recent monograph The ICJ and Multi-forum Litigation Strategy draws inferences from legal and political sciences to assess ICJ authority when crises make their way to it as part of a multi-forum litigation strategy. It identifies the essential characteristics of this strategy and delineates ICJ instrumentalization against this background. Multi-forum litigation is the latest strategic trend when attempting to resolve inter-State disputes. The prolific utilisation of judicial institutions that comes with it (of the UN Court in particular), renders their work relevant in addressing contemporary problems but it comes at a cost. It triggers a rethinking of their role and their capacity to influence international politics.
Voulgaris will present his recent monograph and he will assess the recent over-reliance of States on international courts to resolve disputes inter se via multi-form litigation strategies. The instrumentalisation of courts that comes with such over-reliance impacts the authority of such institutions, the ICJ in particular. Increasingly instrumentalising courts in this manner may alter State perception around the courts’ role; from legal dispute settlers to crises managers and diplomatic organs. The book suggests that authority does not necessarily go hand-in-hand with reliance on a court, and neither does trust. And, in turn, this may impact upon the authority of international law as such.
Blavatnik School of Government,
University of Oxford
bsg.ox.ac.uk
"In a world where inter-State multi-forum litigation multiplies, so does the risk of courts becoming diplomatic platforms to air State grievances.” Nowadays, the ICJ is called to confront this risk when dealing with the main political issues of the day.
Nikolaos Voulgaris’ recent monograph The ICJ and Multi-forum Litigation Strategy draws inferences from legal and political sciences to assess ICJ authority when crises make their way to it as part of a multi-forum litigation strategy. It identifies the essential characteristics of this strategy and delineates ICJ instrumentalization against this background. Multi-forum litigation is the latest strategic trend when attempting to resolve inter-State disputes. The prolific utilisation of judicial institutions that comes with it (of the UN Court in particular), renders their work relevant in addressing contemporary problems but it comes at a cost. It triggers a rethinking of their role and their capacity to influence international politics.
Voulgaris will present his recent monograph and he will assess the recent over-reliance of States on international courts to resolve disputes inter se via multi-form litigation strategies. The instrumentalisation of courts that comes with such over-reliance impacts the authority of such institutions, the ICJ in particular. Increasingly instrumentalising courts in this manner may alter State perception around the courts’ role; from legal dispute settlers to crises managers and diplomatic organs. The book suggests that authority does not necessarily go hand-in-hand with reliance on a court, and neither does trust. And, in turn, this may impact upon the authority of international law as such.
Blavatnik School of Government,
University of Oxford
bsg.ox.ac.uk
