The 2008 ESIL Book Prize was awarded to Matthew Craven, Professor of International Law, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, for his book The Decolonization of International Law: State Succession and the Law of Treaties (Oxford University Press, 2007).

The jury members, James R. Crawford, Martti Koskenniemi and Christian Tomuschat, unanimously agreed on the selection of the book.

The prize was awarded during the Gala Dinner at the 3rd ESIL Biennial Conference in Heidelberg in September 2008.