Cinematic perspectives on international law

Book excerpt: The proposed volume consists of an edited collection within the new Melland Schill Guidebooks on International Law (MSGIL) series. In line with the MSGIL objective of inclusiveness, originality, perspectivism and critical thought, the book is the first of an intended series pertaining to perspectives related to the ways in which the arts influence the perception and attitude of the public towards international law, and the manner this affects the discipline, both in terms of its own development and in terms of its social legitimacy. The book contrasts the narratives of international law depicted in cinema and TV productions with the corresponding narratives advanced by legal scholars. It identifies a cognitive dissonance between them and ascertains its implications on general perceptions of international law.