Non-Legally Binding Agreements in International Security

The seminar addresses the use of non-legally binding international agreements (NLBIAs) in security competition. Sometimes states conclude treaties; sometimes they conclude “nontreaties” (NLBIAs). Why? This talk argues that legal form is chosen rather than defaulted into, and that it carries strategic value which states recognize and exploit. In security competition, non-binding form is a resource that does things binding form cannot.