Legitimation Strategies of International Courts: Strategic Bootstrapping, Transitional Justice in Practice, Cynical Manipulation – Or All of the Above?

Legitimacy talk concerning international law and by extension international courts (ICs) has been criticized for being vague and manipulatory. Recent focus on how ICs seek to build their reputation and perceived legitimacy require renewed attention to the relationship between perceived and normative legitimacy, and to the understanding of strategic action in normative international political theory.