Skip to Main Content

Foreign & International Law FAQs: Introduction

This guide answers the most frequently asked questions about research related to foreign, comparative, and international law (FCIL).

This guide answers the most common questions we receive on foreign, comparative, and international law (FCIL) at Fordham Law. These questions fall into three categories: general FAQs, citation & journal source-pulling, and in-depth research.

Types of Questions

1. General FAQs: Here you can find basic definitions, tips on the availability of translations, and info on specialty databases. 

2. Citation & Source-Pulling: When we talk about source-pulling, we are looking for one particular document, typically in accordance with Bluebook citation rules. This is a treasure hunt for one document, where the context surrounding the document is less likely to matter. This page will discuss best practices for using the Bluebook to cite FCIL material and review commonly-requested sources like treaties and UK cases. 

3. In-Depth Research: Doing in-depth research on a foreign, comparative, or international law topic is very different from source-pulling. When we do in-depth research, for example when working on a seminar paper or a note, we are exploring a topic and doing analysis; context is critically important. Here you will see questions on the research process, which secondary sources to use in this area, and starting points for commonly-researched fields.

Help?!

For help accessing these materials or any additional questions, please contact a reference librarian at refdesk@fordham.edu, via chat, or by calling 212 636 6908.

undefined

Library Cheat Sheets