Contains essays examining the perceived tensions between British and German cultural traditions and beliefs before 1914 and how popular literature, public debate, cultural distinction, and war-time propaganda determined historical, political, and military events leading to war.

The period between the mid-1880s and the First World War was the high point of the navalist movement - but the idea of 'navalism' took many forms, and meant different problems and different solutions to various groups within British society and the British government. New Crusade examines one form of the British navalist movement: directed navalism. As opposed to the broader cultural conception of British naval power, directed navalism consisted of a cooperative, symbiotic working relationship between three elite and self-selecting groups: serving naval officers (professionals), naval correspondents and editors working for national newspapers and periodicals (press), and members of Parliament who dealt with naval issues (politicians). Directed navalism meant agitation for a specific, achievable goal. It was the bedrock upon which the more popular and ultimately more successful cultural navalism of fleet reviews and music halls was built. Though directed navalism collapsed before the First World War, it was extraordinarily successful in its time, and it was a necessary precursor for the creation of a national discourse in which cultural navalism could thrive. Its rise and fall is the story of this book.

About the publication “Whether International Law is really law is one of those vexed questions that still linger. Prof. Mwenda’s three-pillar approach to looking at International Law is an exceedingly useful conceptual framework which is, at the same time, emblematic of the malleable nature of the discipline. The analysis demonstrates when States pay attention to international law, why they feel compelled to do so, when they choose not to, and why all that matters. This is an extremely timely and accessible book which should be useful to the legal academy and to practitioners.” –DR VICTOR B. MOSOTI Chief Counsel for Environmental and International Law, Legal Vice-Presidency, The World Bank “Prof. Mwenda’s book, ‘Contemporary Issues in International Law’, is a must-read masterpiece on international law for practitioners, academics and students of public international law. It is a thought-provoking book that touches on contemporary issues confronting international law at a time when multilateralism…is under serious threat. It touches on issues that need to be discussed and addressed in order to be able to deal with the emerging challenges of rising nationalism among leading nations of the world.” –BRIAN CHIGAWA, ESQ Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)