Happy 100th Anniversary to the American Society of International Law

Today is the 100th Anniversary of the founding to the American Society of International Law. As part of the centennial celebrations, the ASIL has a website covering the history of the Society (and note the pictures at the bottom of the timeline). The first 50 years are currently covered with more to come.

I am a big fan of the ASIL and that is not only because before entering academia full time, I was its the Director of Research and Outreach. The ASIL was founded by then-Secretary of State Elihu Root and then-Secretary of War William Howard Taft (soon to be President Taft). The Society was subsequently chartered by Congress to inform and engage the American public on issues of international law. Through its institutional ups and downs, the ASIL has always done that through its journal The American Journal of International Law, probably the most influential international law journal in the world, and through its books, briefings, reports, and other activities. The membership of the ASIL comes from across the political spectrum and the Society has a “big tent” approach to the profession. More than anything, the Society is devoted to intelligent debate and discussion on international law, and you can take part in such debate and discussion at its Annual Meeting.

For those of you who have enjoyed the discussions of this blog but who are not members of the ASIL, you should check it out.

International law would have been much the poorer without the ASIL.

So, Happy Birthday ASIL. Can’t wait to see what the next hundred years will bring…