A Multitude, in Celebration of David D Caron

Abstract This chapter introduces the volume by placing the chapters in the volume into conversation with the work of David Caron. The introduction highlights international dispute resolution, environmental law, and the law of the sea as key fields upon which Caron’s work focused, and considers the values which animated that work. Beginning with lessons from the history of dispute settlement, the introduction explores how Caron’s work—and the chapters in this volume—use the history of international dispute settlement in order to identify cross-cutting themes and lessons for its future. It then canvasses Caron’s work on the institutions and actors relevant to international dispute settlement to explore the role of politics and of various assorted stakeholders—including international courts and tribunals, adjudicators, their secretariats and research assistances, states, the UN General Assembly and Security Council, and the public—in the development and practice of law in this field. The introduction next turns to key issues of procedural and substantive law that animated the work of Caron, including highlighting the connections between legal procedures and substantive rules and principles with the legitimacy and effectiveness of international courts and tribunals and their capacity to achieve their stated goals and functions. The introduction concludes by looking to the future, considering possible future trajectories for international dispute settlement, and highlighting the insights that Caron’s work—and the work of contributors to this volume—may offer to ensure that international law and its institutions remain appropriated adapted to respond flexibly, effectively, and legitimately to as-yet uncontemplated future developments.