This second edition has been based on the texts and a wealth of editorial experience gained from the first edition. We like to thank the many authors of the first edition and the section or volume editors: Katrin Arend, Jan Busche, Clemens Feinäugle, Karen Kaiser, Michael Koebele and Anja Seibert-Fohr as well as the co-general editor of the first edition, Rüdiger Wolfrum, who initiated the project in the first edition and encouraged us both to continue it for the second edition.

This second edition has been made possible by a larger editing team at Göttingen, Canterbury and London.

We are th…