Synopses & Reviews
In what circumstances is it legitimate to use force? How should force be
used? These are two of the most crucial questions confronting world
politics today.
The Just War tradition provides a set of criteria which political
leaders and soldiers use to defend and rationalize war. This book
explores the evolution of thinking about just wars and examines its role
in shaping contemporary judgements about the use of force, from grand
strategic issues of whether states have a right to pre-emptive
self-defence, to the minutiae of targeting.
Bellamy maps the evolution of the Just War tradition, demonstrating how
it arose from a myriad of sub-traditions, including scholasticism, the
holy war tradition, chivalry, natural law, positive law, Erasmus and
Kant's reformism, and realism from Machiavelli to Morgenthau. He then
applies this tradition to a range of contemporary normative dilemmas
related to terrorism, pre-emption, aerial bombardment and
humanitarian intervention.
Review
"A model of careful and balanced discussion ... Bellamy strikes just the right balance between rigorous examination of general concepts and consideration of the concrete aspects of particular cases."
Henry Shue, Survival
"This is an engaging book that captures the breadth and depth of arguments over why and how we should kill one another."
Simon Chesterman, International Affairs
"A book to admire and to argue with – in other words, the best sort of book."
Jean Bethke Elshtain, University of Chicago
Review
"One could not wish for a more tightly developed set of empirical cases ... Bellamy produces a very thoughtful narrative, emphasizing the disparate elements that comprise the modern just war tradition."
Perspectives"A model of careful and balanced discussion ... Bellamy strikes just the right balance between rigorous examination of general concepts and consideration of the concrete aspects of particular cases."
Henry Shue, Survival
“A convincing analysis of the emergence of international law and the dominance of realism after the Second World War [and] an excellent application of this theoretical and historical narrative to contemporary issues.”
Political Studies Review
"This is an engaging book that captures the breadth and depth of arguments over why and how we should kill one another."
International Affairs
"A book to admire and to argue with – in other words, the best sort of book."
Jean Bethke Elshtain, University of Chicago
Review
"This is an engaging book that captures the breadth and depth of arguments over why and how we should kill one another."
Simon Chesterman, International Affairs
"A book to admire and to argue with – in other words, the best sort of book."
Jean Bethke Elshtain, University of Chicago
Synopsis
* A concise introduction to a core and popular area of literary studies.
* Provides extended case studies which survey and summarise key critical debates and as such are invaluable for teaching.
* Places the emphasis on the text first and theory second, thus providing a unique and much needed approach to postcolonial literature, which in the past has been maligned for being theory driven.
* Takes an historical approach, thus covering a good range of texts that have generated lots of critical discussion and evaluative materials.
* Written clearly for an undergraduate reader, with introductory overviews at the start of each chapter.
Synopsis
In what circumstances is it legitimate to use force? How should force be
used? These are two of the most crucial questions confronting world
politics today.
The Just War tradition provides a set of criteria which political
leaders and soldiers use to defend and rationalize war. This book
explores the evolution of thinking about just wars and examines its role
in shaping contemporary judgements about the use of force, from grand
strategic issues of whether states have a right to pre-emptive
self-defence, to the minutiae of targeting.
Bellamy maps the evolution of the Just War tradition, demonstrating how
it arose from a myriad of sub-traditions, including scholasticism, the
holy war tradition, chivalry, natural law, positive law, Erasmus and
Kant's reformism, and realism from Machiavelli to Morgenthau. He then
applies this tradition to a range of contemporary normative dilemmas
related to terrorism, pre-emption, aerial bombardment and
humanitarian intervention.
About the Author
Alex Bellamy is Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Queensland.
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements.
Introduction -.
PART I: MAPPING THE JUST WAR TRADITION.
Chapter 1: Antiquity -.
Chapter 2: The Middle Ages –.
Chapter 3: Renaissance and Reformation –.
Chapter 4: From Holy War to Enlightenment –.
Chapter 5: Modernity and Beyond –.
PART II: CONTEMPORARY ISSUES.
Chapter 6: The Just War Tradition Today –.
Chapter 7: Terrorism –.
Chapter 8: Pre-emption –.
Chapter 9: Aerial Bombing –.
Chapter 10: Humanitarian Intervention –.
Conclusion.
Bibliography –.
Index