The Third World intellectual in praxis: confrontation, participation, or operation behind enemy lines?

In his closing keynote address for the TWAIL Cairo Conference, Professor Georges Abi-Saab engages with the conference theme ‘On Praxis and the Intellectual’ by considering the diverse roles that can be played by Third World international law intellectuals in trying to transform theory into social practice. He commences with an overview of the Third World’s engagement with international law thus far in the form of a ‘three act psychodrama’. Following from this, he explores the meanings of the terms ‘intellectual’ and ‘praxis’, noting that not all international lawyers are the former, and breaking the latter down into several stages in the spectrum between reflection and action. Professor Abi-Saab concludes with some examples of praxis from personal experience, including as a professor, teacher, and scholar of international law, ghostwriting for the UN Secretary-General, participation in country delegations, and as judge and arbitrator in numerous courts and tribunals. Through these examples he illustrates some of the different tactics available to the Third World intellectual including confrontation, participation, or operation ‘behind enemy lines’.