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About Rein Müllerson

Rein Müllerson is the president of the Academy of Law of Tallinn University, Estonia. He was professor and chair of international law at King's College, London (1994-2009). He has been a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee (1988-92), visiting centennial professor of the London School of Economics and Political Science (1992-94), and first deputy foreign minister of Estonia (1991-92).

Rein Müllerson is the author of eleven books on international law and politics and more than 200 articles and reviews. His books include Human Rights Diplomacy (Routledge, 1996) and Central Asia: A Chessboard and Player in the New Great Game (Kegan Paul, 2007). His latest book is Democracy – A Destiny of Humankind? A Qualified, Contingent and Contextual Case for Democracy Promotion (Nova, 2009)

Articles by Rein Müllerson

This week's editor

Rosemary Bechler is openDemocracy’s Editor.

Digital Liberties

How to fight for digital human rights?

European integration

Six countries. Six different paths to EU integration.

No to TTIP

The secretive EU-US trade deal explained

Syria, morality and geopolitics

Rein Müllerson 25 March 2012

An accurate reading of the Syrian crisis must take into account the political interests and motives of leading regional actors, says Rein Müllerson.

America after 9/11: the wrong target

Rein Müllerson 9 September 2011

A flawed response to terrorism on its soil brought the United States low. The lessons are also for the rest of the world to learn, says Rein Müllerson.

The guns of August: two years later

Rein Müllerson 17 August 2010

The bitter conflict over South Ossetia in August 2008 has turned to post-war stalemate. But just as the war and the current impasse involve more than Georgia and Russia, says Rein Müllerson, so progress in the region and beyond requires bold diplomatic thinking on all sides.

The case for pragmatism: a view from Estonia

Rein Müllerson 19 February 2010

The complex realities of international politics make a wise and patient foreign-policy approach the only sensible one - especially for Russia’s smaller neighbours, says Rein Müllerson.

Europe, America, Russia: the world-changing tide

Rein Müllerson 29 July 2009

The signatories of an open letter to President Obama from eastern and central Europe are so concerned not to forget history that they neglect an equally important lesson: not to be blinded by it either, says Rein Müllerson.

Democracy: history not destiny

Rein Müllerson 27 November 2008

After Iraq and Afghanistan, amid China's rise and Russia's challenge, can western democracy any longer offer a universal model? Rein Müllerson offers a qualified, contingent and contextual answer

(This article was first published on 25 November 2008)

The world after the Russia-Georgia war

Rein Müllerson 15 September 2008

The bitter conflict in the Caucasus is global as well as regional and heralds an emerging geopolitical confrontation. All the more reason for analysts and policy-makers to have care, patience, and a willingness to compromise, says Rein Müllerson.

(This article was first published on 5 September 2008)