Articles by Geoffrey Swenson

August 23, 2024

Nothing ventured, nothing gained: foreign policy towards non-state justice

Geoffrey Swenson

Promoters of the rule of law stress the importance of non-state justice for security, stability, and access to justice in the Global South. But as Geoffrey Swenson highlights, actual foreign policy tells a different story. Risk aversion – rather than results – drives foreign policy. Successful rule of law promotion ultimately demands greater risk

Geoffrey Swenson

Reader in International Politics, City, University of London

Geoffrey's current research focuses on issues related to state-building, democracy and the rule of law, legal pluralism, international relations theory, and foreign aid.

His work has been published in several leading journals, including International Security, International Studies Quarterly, International Studies Review, and World Development.

Contending Orders: Legal Pluralism and the Rule of Law
Oxford University Press, 2022

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