Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nature, evolution, and context of international investment law -- International investment law as a field of study -- The business nature of a foreign investment : a long-term risk -- Host state sovereignty and the rules of foreign investment -- Customary international law : the emergence of a minimum standard -- Treaty law : evolution and purpose -- Current trends in treaty practice -- Regional agreements : energy charter, NAFTA -- Interpretation and application of investment treaties -- Interpreting investment treaties -- Application of investment treaties in time -- Investors and investments -- Investors : individuals, companies, nationality, and shareholders -- Investment -- Investment contracts -- Types of investment contracts -- Applicable law -- Stabilization clauses -- Renegotiation/adaptation -- Admission and establishment -- The move towards economic liberalism -- Treaty models of admission -- Performance requirements -- Non-compliance by investor with host state law and international public policy -- Expropriation -- The right to expropriate -- The three branches of the law -- The legality of the expropriation -- Direct and indirect expropriation -- Expropriation of contractual rights -- Standards of protection -- Fair and equitable treatment -- Full protection and security -- The umbrella clause -- Access to justice, fair procedure, and denial of justice -- Emergency, necessity, armed conflicts, and force majeure -- Preservation of rights -- Arbitrary or discriminatory measures -- National treatment -- Most-favoured-nation treatment -- Transfer of funds -- State responsibility and attribution -- Organs, provinces, and municipalities -- State entities -- Party status for constituent subdivisions or agencies under the ICSID convention -- Political risk insurance -- Settling investment disputes -- State v state disputes -- Investor v state disputes.