The lawyer as an actor in history and society

This contribution is an introduction to the fourth part of the book “International Humanitarian Law and Justice: Historical and Sociological Perspectives.” It raises general issues in regard to the role of lawyers as actors and prepares for a part, whose chapters show that in order to grasp the influence of individuals of social and legal structures, it is mandatory to take into account the whole range of human motivations through detailed investigations. Structural history can only be an approximation, but still needs to be considered as the essential context, in which individuals were able to present their ideas and struggle for their implementation.