Trusteeship and the civilizing mission never ended with the self-determination entitlement that led to decolonization: international organizations took on this role in the ‘post-colonial’ era, internationalizing trusteeship and re-legitimizing it as a feature of international policy. Through analysis of the history of and purposes associated with the involvement of international organizations in territorial administration; a comparison between this activity and colonial trusteeship; occupation and the Mandate and Trusteeship arrangements; and an exploration of the modern ideas of international ... More

Trusteeship and the civilizing mission never ended with the self-determination entitlement that led to decolonization: international organizations took on this role in the ‘post-colonial’ era, internationalizing trusteeship and re-legitimizing it as a feature of international policy. Through analysis of the history of and purposes associated with the involvement of international organizations in territorial administration; a comparison between this activity and colonial trusteeship; occupation and the Mandate and Trusteeship arrangements; and an exploration of the modern ideas of international law and public policy that underpin and legitimize contemporary interventions, this book relates a new history of the concept of international trusteeship. From British colonialist Lord Lugard's ‘dual mandate’ to the ‘state building’ agenda of the then High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lord Ashdown, wide-ranging links between the complex peace operations of today and the civilizing mission of the colonial era are established, offering a historical, political and legal framework within which the legitimacy of and challenges faced by complex interventions can be appraised. This new history of international trusteeship raises important questions about the role of international law and organizations in facilitating relations of domination and tutelage, and suggests that the contemporary significance of the self-determination entitlement needs to be re-evaluated.