International courts play a central role in shaping legal relations between states. The key instrument they deploy – judicial remedies – is often underdiscussed. In this event, we explore how different remedies target different types of state conduct and structure expectations in the international order.
The starting point for the discussion is a defining feature of international adjudication: through their decisions, courts and tribunals articulate legal entitlements, identify violations, and establish the consequences of breaches. In his recent book, Adjudicating over Anarchy: Judicial Remedies, Compliance, and Enforcement in International Law, Dr Geraldo Vidigal argues that the influence of international courts lies in their ability to give concrete expression to legal norms and guide state behaviour.
On 9 April 2026, we bring together leading voices in international law to discuss how international courts, through their remedial practice, contribute to ordering legal relations in an increasingly complex global landscape, drawing on the book’s core insights.
The event starts at 17.00 and will be followed by a cocktail reception.
Speaker lineup
· Dr Pola Cebulak (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
· Professor Pierre d’Argent (University of Louvain)
· Dr Geraldo Vidigal (University of Amsterdam)
Moderator: Judge Georg Nolte (International Court of Justice)
Welcome and Introduction: Dr Johanna Lorenzo (University of Amsterdam)
About the book
Adjudicating over Anarchy is a deep dive into how international courts use their judicial powers. Covering dozens of courts and a century of practice, Vidigal illuminates the social mechanisms behind compliance with judicial rulings, analysing how international courts – by interpreting rules and declaring violations – influence behaviour without mobilising state enforcement. Learn more about this book.