Synopses & Reviews
Just war theory exists to stop armies and countries from using armed force without good cause. But how can we judge whether a war is just? In this original book, John W. Lango takes some distinctive approaches to the ethics of armed conflict.
· A revisionist approach
that involves generalising traditional just war principles, so that they are applicable by all sorts of responsible agents to all forms of armed conflict
· A cosmopolitan approach
that features the Security Council
· A preventive approach
that emphasises alternatives to armed force, including negotiation, nonviolent action and peacekeeping missions
· A human rights
approach that encompasses not only armed humanitarian intervention but also armed invasion, armed revolution and all other forms of armed conflict
Lango shows how these can be applied to all forms of armed conflict, however large or small: from interstate wars to UN peacekeeping missions, and from civil wars counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.
Synopsis
Formulates generalised just war principles that are applicable to all forms of armed conflict.
Synopsis
How do we decide whether a use of armed force is just or unjust? GBS_insertPreviewButtonPopup( 'ISBN:9780748645756', 'ISBN:9780748692118', 'ISBN:9780748645763']);
Just war theory exists to stop armies and countries from using armed force without good cause. But how can we judge whether a war is just? In this original book, John W. Lango takes some distinctive approaches to the ethics of armed conflict.
- A revisionist approach that involves generalising traditional just war principles, so that they are applicable by all sorts of responsible agents to all forms of armed conflict
- A cosmopolitan approach that features the Security Council
- A preventive approach that emphasises alternatives to armed force, including negotiation, nonviolent action and peacekeeping missions
- A human rights approach that encompasses not only armed humanitarian intervention but also armed invasion, armed revolution and all other forms of armed conflict
Lango shows how these can be applied to all forms of armed conflict, however large or small: from interstate wars to UN peacekeeping missions, and from civil wars counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.
Key Features
- Discusses the just cause, last resort, proportionality and non-combatant immunity principles in depth
- Considers topics including moral dilemmas, legitimate authority, deterrence, escalation, intelligence, drone strikes, no-fly zones and peace agreements
- Draws on recent real-world cases such as Afghanistan, Darfur, Libya and South Sudan
Synopsis
The primary purpose of just war theory is to morally constrain responsible agents from using armed force unjustly. But how can we judge whether a war is just? John Lango adopts a cosmopolitan approach to argue that the more traditional state-centric just war theory should be both globalised and democratised. From this foundation, he formulates a set of morally absolute principles. He shows how these can be applied to all forms of armed conflict, however large or small: from interstate wars to UN peacekeeping missions, and from civil wars counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.
About the Author
John W. Lango is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Philosophy, Hunter College at the Hunter College of the City University of New York.
Table of Contents
Preface1. Introduction
2. Just War Theory
3. Moral Theory
4. Theory of Action
5. Just Cause
6. Last Resort
7. Last Resort and Noncombatant Immunity
8. Proportionality and Authority
9. All Things Considered
References
Index