Human Rights – The Student Law Journal

**International Human Rights** by *Philip Alston & Ryan Goodman*
**Publisher:** Oxford University Press
**Edition:** 1st Edition (October 2012)
**ISBN:** 978-0-19-957872-6
**Price:** *£41.99*

While this is the first edition of Philip Alston and Ryan Goodman’s International Human Rights, it is the successor to the highly regarded and well-respected International Human Rights in Context. Its aim continues to be ambitious: to provide sophisticated and thought-provoking reflections on the current state of the art in relation to the international regime governing human rights. Fortunately (and perhaps unsurprisingly given the authors’ considerable experience in this vast area of law), International Human Rights achieves this aim with considerable ease by providing a text with real depth and insightful scholarly content.

Because both authors are co-directors of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University, it is unsurprising that International Human Rights spans a vast range of topics. It is split into six parts: introductory notions and background to international human rights regime; normative foundation of international human rights; rights, duties and dilemmas of universalism; international human rights organisations; states as protectors and enforcers of human rights; and current topics. Each part then includes a number of chapters. For example, the part on normative foundation of international human rights includes chapters on: civil and political rights; economic and social rights; and national security, terrorism and the law of armed conflict.

Textbooks written by non-UK based lawyers can sometimes be for UK law students inaccessible, or at the very least less accessible, than those written by UK based lawyers. Fortunately, International Human Rights does not suffer from this problem: it is clearly and accessibly written and provides an excellent balance between commentary and analysis (including posing questions). To help the distinction between commentary and materials, the text could usefully include shaded backgrounds for materials to make them easily stand out from the commentary. International Human Rights also includes an online resource centre (http://global.oup.com/uk/orc/law/human/alston_goodman/) which, given the text’s recent publication, unsurprisingly includes few materials.

Anyone looking for a simulating and engaging account of the current state of the art in relation to the international regime governing human rights should look no further than International Human Rights (which builds upon highly regarded and well-respected International Human Rights in Context). Readers should, however, be left in no doubt that this text is not one for the faint hearted: it is a thorough and expansive account of the law which covers a considerable number of topics in an appealing way. At just over £40, International Human Rights is also extremely well priced. There can certainly be no suggestion that readers are not given excellent value for money.

Reviewed on 10 February 2013

Civil Actions Against the Police by Richard Clayton QC, Hugh Tomlinson QC, Edwin Buckett & Andrew Davies
Publisher: Sweet & Maxwell
Edition: 3rd Edition (December 2003)
ISBN: 0 421 63090 6
Price: £139.00

It is some twelve years since the second edition of this work was published in 1992. Much has happened in the intervening years involving the clash of State with citizens, so Clayton and Tomlinson have fully updated this edition with the latest statute and case law.

The text’s best feature is that all civil actions are discussed under one cover. It guides the reader through all the established torts such as assault and battery, false imprisonment, wrongful interference with goods and malicious prosecution. It then looks at the emerging actions which play such an important part in today’s society including the tort of misfeasance in public office, and the worrying area of claims in breach of confidence and data protection. Two areas which mark this publication as unique include a new chapter on negligence, and the range of remedies which are available to litigants: both specific to actions against police officers.

As mentioned previously, the delay between editions has meant that the authors have had to include coverage of the Police Reform Act 2002, which introduced changes to the complaints system and created a wide range of powers for civilians, such as arrest and detention (quasi police powers). There is also excellent coverage of other important statutory developments such as the Police Act 1996, the Human Rights Act 1998, the Data Protection Act 1998, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and the Terrorism Act 2000

The text also provides special treatment for the relevant procedural steps. Public interest immunity, disclosure of documents and the conduct of civil jury trials are dealt with in useful detail.

In conclusion, this is a definitive source of reference and it explains what avenues are open to practitioners when their clients’ civil liberties are impinged upon. It also examines what the police can do when people take action against them. In my opinion, the third edition has built upon the respected reputation of its predecessors and is fully up-to-date with the latest Acts of Parliament and leading authorities and is a must for anyone interested in this area.

Reviewed on 14 March 2004