Secondary Sources
Secondary sources provide explanations, commentary, and analysis of the law. They may identify and cite primary documents. They may include history, context, background, and definitions. Secondary sources include treatises, journals, and current awareness sources.
Treatises
A legal treatise focuses on a single area of law and is written by experts in that area. Treatises can be broad, multi-volume sets or one-volume titles on more specific subjects. They frequently include history of an area of law, explanations and analysis, interpretations of treaties and statutes, citations to primary authority, and practice tips. They can be citable authority, particularly with major treatises and noted authors.
Encyclopedias
Max Planck Encyclopedias of International Law: The Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law and Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law have articles on topics in international law with history, background, bibliographies, and important documents. Includes the Oxford Law Citator.
Elgar Encyclopedias: Include Encyclopedias of International Economic Law, Private International Law, and Human Rights.
Oxford Encyclopedia of Human Rights
European Union Encyclopedia and Directory
Parry & Grant's Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law
Textbooks and Study Aids
International Law Frameworks by 
Principles of International Law by West Academic Study Aids on Public International Law include Nutshells, Quick Reviews, Stories, and Sum and Substance, and include titles on public international law, environmental law, international litigation, international criminal law, human rights, and international transactions and trade
Aspen Learning Library Study Aids include Casenote Legal Briefs for International Law
Lexis Digital Library Study Aids include the Guide to International Legal Research, Understanding International Law, Q&A International Law, Understanding International Business and Financial Transactions, and Understanding International Criminal Law
ASIL Benchbook on International Law: An introduction to international law in US courts, intended for US District Court judges
CRS Reports
Reports from the Congressional Research Service are a good source for finding background information on any issues of interest to Congress, including international law and foreign relations.
Federation of American Scientists: A curated collection of CRS Reports on national security and foreign affairs
ProQuest Congressional: Database of congressional and legislative history materials, includes older CRS Reports
Examples:
CRS RL32528: International Law and Agreements: Their Effect Upon US Law
CRS LSB10704: The Role of International Tribunals in the Response to the Invasion of Ukraine
Brierly's Law of Nations by
This concise book is an introduction to the role of international law in international relations. Written for lawyers and non-lawyers alike, the book first appeared in 1928 and attracted a wide readership. This new edition builds on Brierly's scholarship and his idea that law must serve a social purpose. Previous editions of The Law of Nations have been the standard introduction to international law for decades, and are widely popular in many different countries due to the simplicity and brevity of the prose style.
Brownlie's Principles of Public International Law by
Brownlie's Principles of Public International Law has been shaping the study and application of international law for over 50 years. Serving as a single-volume introduction to the field as a whole, the book is one of the classic treatises on international law.
The Function of Law in the International Community by
The Function of Law in the International Community, first published in 1933, is one of the seminal works on international law. Its author, Sir Hersch Lauterpacht, is widely considered to be one of the great international lawyers of the 20th century. It continues to influence those studying and working in international law today. It features a new introduction by Professor Martti Koskenniemi, examining the world in which the Function of Law was originally published and the lasting legacy of this classic work.
National Treaty Law and Practice by
This book, which is dedicated to the memory of the distinguished international lawyer Monroe Leigh, presents a consolidated treatise on how different states organize their treaty-making through national law and practice. Traditionally, scholars have studied treaties from either an international or national perspective examining treaties in terms of the international law rules embodied in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, or focusing on the treaty law of a single state. This compendium culminates a nearly thirty-year effort to derive a third, comparative perspective on the law of treaties. It analyzes the law and practice of nineteen states: Austria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Taken together, these materials will serve as a lasting reference work on treaty law and practice for scholars, practitioners and government officials.
Oppenheim's International Law by Restatement of Foreign Relations Law of the United States: Statements of U.S. and international customary practice, commentary on the rules, and cases applying the rules. International law as it applies in the U.S. and domestic law with a substantial impact on U.S. foreign relations. Second and Third Restatements, plus a fourth edition focusing on status of treaties, jurisdiction and state immunity, and enforcement of foreign judgments. Available on Hein Online, Westlaw, and Lexis.
Emory Library Search. Use Emory's library catalog to find treatises, including ebooks. Try combining "international law" and a more specific subject area for your subject search. International law/law of nations is found in KZ in the library.
Use WorldCat to find treatises in other libraries for interlibrary loan.
Many legal research guides include titles to treatises on international law.
Georgetown Law Library Treatise Finders by subject include International Law, International Trade, and Human Rights.
University of Michigan Law Library Treatise Finders by Subject include International Law, International Trade, Human Rights and Refugees, and National Security Law.
Oxford Bibliographies on International Law include titles in topics within international law
Elgar Research Reviews include some titles on international law with recommended readings.
Max Planck Encyclopedias of International Law have articles that include bibliographies of secondary sources.
ICRC International Humanitarian Law Bibliography includes annotations and links to new articles on international humanitarian law, published three issues per year.
Law reviews with articles on international law:
Inter-disciplinary and non-law journals: Find relevant articles on international relations, political science, public policy, regional studies, and history.
Some specific journals on international law and foreign relations:
Global Legal Monitor (Law Library of Congress): Provides legal news and developments from IGOs and other countries. Browse by topic or by jurisdiction.
ASIL Insights: Brief analysis of newsworthy stories in international courts, treaties, and international law
ASIL International Law in Brief: Abstracts of and links to new primary documents in international law, updates International Legal Materials
Blogs on international law:
Blogs on national security, including on international law and international relations:
Bloomberg Law, Law360, and Westlaw include news for commercial subjects like international tax and international trade
Major news sources will include news on international relations, international caselaw, and developments with the United Nations and other international organizations. Try the New York Times, NPR, CNN, BBC, and The Guardian.
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