"In this quietly brilliant book, Greenberg challenges both overly cynical and overly idealistic visions of the language and promise of law. Through her stunning, intimate analysis of the European Court of Human Rights, she sheds light on a burning issue of our time how and whether human rights discourses can matter in the face of brute force and power." Elizabeth Mertz, University of Wisconsin Law School "Why do we turn to the law in times of crisis, even when we anticipate that it may disappoint us? In her enlightening and brilliantly written book, Jessica Greenberg examines the most renowned living legal utopiathe European Court of Human Rightsto explore both the credibility of its promises and the predictability of its failures." Angelika Nussberger, Former Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights "At a time when the efficacy of international legal instruments is under intense scrutiny, Justice in the Balance could not be timelier. Jessica Greenberg moves beyond the binary of dismantling or maintaining the existing international legal order to examining how liberal institutions, human rights, and rule of law are being navigated and reconceptualized in post-liberal futures. In tracing the evolution of the European Court of Human Rights, Greenberg highlights the tensions between individual justice and structural reform, challenging us to rethink the possibilities of justice. An important and impressive contribution. A must read!" Kamari Maxine Clarke, Distinguished Professor, University of Toronto