Force and Legitimacy in World Politics

by David Armstrong, Theo Farrell, Bice Maiguashca

Overview

War is invariably accompanied by debate, if not controversy, over the legitimacy of using force. Alongside the longstanding state practice of justifying use of force is the increasing codification of legal rules on the use of force. In this volume a leading group of international authorities consider the issues surrounding the legitimation of force from several distinct disciplinary perspectives, including political science, law, history and philosophy. In particular, they examine the underlying question of whether and how international society's traditional norms of sovereignty and non-intervention can coexist both with the new norm of humanitarian intervention and with an increasingly hegemonial (if not 'imperial') role played by the United States. What is the difference between 'legality' and 'legitimacy'? Is the latter a truly universal concept or mainly a Western one? Are earlier ideas about 'just war' still relevant?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521691642
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/15/2006
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	270
Product dimensions:	6.73(w) x 9.72(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

David Armstrong is Professor of International Relations, Department of Politics, University of Exeter.

Theo Farrell is Reader in War in the Modern World, Department of War Studies, King's College London.

Bice Maiguashca is Lecturer in Politics, Department of Politics, University of Exeter.

Table of Contents

1. Notes on contributors; 2. Introduction David Armstrong and Theo Farrell; 3. Legitimacy and the use of force: can the circle be squared? Andrew Hurrell; 4. Legality and legitimacy: the quest for principled felxibility and restraint Richard Falk; 5. Not yet havoc: geopolitical change and the international rules on military force Michael Byers; 6. Liberal hierarchy and the license to use force Christian Reus-Smit; 7. The age of liberal wars Lawrence Freedman; 8. Force, legitimacy, success and Iraq David Campbell; 9. War and international relations: a military historical perspective on force and legitimacy Jeremy Black; 10. The judgement of war: on the idea of legitimate force in world politics Nicholas Rengger; 11. Discourses of difference: civilians, combatants and compliance with the laws of wars Helen M. Kinsella; 12. Fights about rules: the role efficiacy and power in changing multilateralism Martha Finnemore; 13. Peacekeeping and enforcement action in Africa: the role of Europe and the obligations of multilateralism Christine Gray; 14. Dead or alive: American vengeance goes global Michael Sherry.