ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the positions and impact of the three Scandinavian countries and key Scandinavian jurists on the establishment of the Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ) (1922). On the fringe of the European Continent, the Scandinavians had engaged strongly in the development of international law from the late nineteenth century in order to improve and secure their position in international politics. The limited power of the Scandinavian states vis-à-vis the European great powers not only forced the three states to embrace neutrality, it also increasingly brought them together in close cooperation on key questions of foreign policy. The establishment and shape of the first world court was such a question and thus marked a new trend towards Scandinavian cooperation that would continue throughout the twentieth century. Whether the newfound unity also had an immediate impact in terms of international influence on the making of the PCIJ is something we shall explore here.
