Investment Treaty Arbitration and Law & Development Symposium: The Future of Law and Development, Part II

Susan Franck, American University Washington College of Law

Abstract

Tom Ginsburg’s initial post raises a series of fascinating questions about the future of Law and Development. These questions encourage us to think about the utility of different methodological approaches, basic definitions, and the implications for institutional change. Investment treaty arbitration (ITA)—which gives foreign investors the right to arbitrate directly against a host government for arguable violations of their substantive investment right—provides a unique opportunity to explore these issues in a tangible manner. So I beg your indulgence as I reflect upon a specific application (namely, ITA) to highlight some of the themes raised by my fellow bloggers.