Pufendorf’s International Political and Legal Thought

Contemporary research on the genealogy of human rights and the foundations of international law has brought renewed interest to the study of natural law in the early-modern period. German-born Samuel Pufendorf (1632-1694) is one of the eminent thinkers of this tradition, shaping the period’s natural jurisprudence.

This unique collection of essays edited by historian of political thought Peter Schröder fills in a gap in Pufendorf scholarship, exploring the significance of his contributions to political and legal thought on a broad scale. While many books studying Pufendorf’s work are confined to one specific academic area, Pufendorf’s International Political and Legal Thought is truly interdisciplinary, and the first book to substantially address the international aspect of Pufendorf’s work.

Ambitious and accessible, this collection is indispensable for scholars and students of intellectual history, political thought, international legal history, the Enlightenment, and political economy. With its focus on international law, Pufendorf’s International Political and Legal Thought is a critical addition to the existing body of work on this renowned philosopher and jurist.

Peter Schröderr, University College London

Peter Schröder is Professor of the History of Political Thought at University College London. He was awarded an M.A. (1995) and PhD (1999) from Philipps University Marburg, Germany before he joined UCL in 2001. He was visiting professor at universities in Seoul, Rome, and Paris and held numerous senior research fellowships, among others at the Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at University of Erfurt, the Institute for Advanced Studies at Central European University Budapest and the Centre for Advanced Studies of the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts. He has published widely on the history of political thought.