The fair and equitable treatment (‘FET’) standard is a type of protection found in BITs which has become in the last decades one of the most controversial provisions examined by arbitral tribunals. This book first examines the interaction between the ‘minimum standard of treatment’ (MST) and the FET standard and the question why States started referring to the former in their BITs. It also addresses the question whether the FET should be considered as an autonomous standard of protection under BITs. This book also examines the controversial proposition that the FET standard should now be considered as a rule of customary international law. I will show that while the practice of States to include FET clauses in their BITs can be considered as general, widespread and representative, it remains that it is not uniform and consistent enough for the standard to have crystallised into a customary rule. States also lack the necessary opinio juris when including the clause in their BITs.

'The fourth edition of Uwe Flick's Introduction to Qualitative Research remains the most comprehensive and thorough text in qualitative research. It is student-and user-friendly, thoroughly up-to-date in terms of the latest developments in the field, imminently practical. it is the single most important introductory book on qualitative inquiry in the social sciences today' - Norman K. Denzin, University of Illinois The new edition of Uwe Flick's bestselling textbook has been fully revised, expanded and updated. An Introduction to Qualitative Research guides the student step-by-step through the research process of qualitative research. This classic text covers all of the main theoretical approaches to qualitative research, and provides unmatched coverage of the full range of different qualitative methods and approaches now available to researchers. A range of new features have been added to the new edition including: - New structure to better meet the needs of teaching qualitative research - A new chapter on Grounded Theory plus updated coverage on the full range of other qualitative methods - A summary section discussing the state-of-the-art in qualitative research - A glossary - Updated cases studies, exercises and guided questions This new edition will continue to ensure that An Introduction to Qualitative Research remains an essential introductory text for all students of qualitative research.