As we wrap up issue 51.1 of the International Journal of Legal Information, I am first struck at the honor and the trust that Mark Engsberg has placed in my judgment and my command of the issues that face our profession. I owe him a great deal of thanks for this opportunity. Working with him, and with Angharad Thomas, Content Manager of Journals with Cambridge University Press has been utterly rewarding and eye-opening for sure. Shortly after being charged with editing this issue, we had two different authors ask to pull manuscripts for differing reasons, and all of a sudden, I had to find new manuscripts to replace them. Persuading Jootaek Lee, a well-known contributor to this journal, to allow us to publish his comprehensive work on establishing a right to development, work which will clearly inform and influence notions of international human rights, was my first breakthrough in selecting content for this issue. His insights have helped shape our understandings, norms and functions of international human rights, and we are delighted to share this with you.
This motivated me to find extraordinary, and often overlooked, contributions which would help fill out this issue. I was delighted to come across Melemaikalani “Mele” Moniz's groundbreaking analysis of native Hawai'ian spiritual belief systems in the context of transnational legal information. For too long, Western colonizers and cultures have overlooked the value of spiritual practice among indigenous peoples, and Moniz's insights help to prepare the way for increased discussion and analysis of these practices for the betterment of the international community.
I was also quite grateful for my colleague Rebecca Kunkel's critical evaluation of law libraries in the information age, which is based in continental philosophy, and seeks to explain the nature and function of our work in an era that we are still coming to understand. This is Kunkel's first appearance in IJLI, and it is my sincere hope that her work resonates with our readership.
Of course, we did have some pieces that Angharad had already prepared before my guest editorship began. Alesia Ash has presented a dramatic and gripping discussion of the ominous developments and threats to human rights along the Mexican border. This is a piece that speaks directly to issues associated with migration, and should give everyone pause.
Abhishek Thommandru's highly informative treatment of the practice of “Smurfing” as a means of money laundering across borders illuminates an often murky and obscure illicit practice. This piece taught me a great deal about how technology can enhance and allow for money to pass illicitly among parties between jurisdictions, and provides some useful insight into combatting this practice.
And as usual, we also present our useful Calendar of international events in our field, and Caroline Osbourne has selected a fine assortment of books in our field to review. Despite some unexpected delays, we are absolutely delighted to present issue 51.1 to you, and I am personally grateful for the opportunity to have assisted in the production of this issue. Enjoy!
