The group was set up in 2020 as interest in the history and theory of international law had grown for several decades. The previous page described empirical studies of how effective international instruments are, scholars inspired by Third World Approaches to International Law who historicise the discipline and trace the lasting influence of imperialism, and intellectual histories that place the profession in context.
It said the field matters particularly in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand because of the central role of international legal doctrine in struggles over settler colonialism and relations with Indigenous peoples. The group was open to scholars focused on the history and theory of the discipline, or interested in how they inform their own work, and held its meetings and events online during the pandemic.
Governance
The group was co-chaired by two members, each serving a two-year term. Names are not reproduced here.