Just Wars: From Cicero to Iraq / Edition 1

by Alex J. Bellamy

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780745632834
Publisher:	Polity Press
Publication date:	11/10/2006
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

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

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"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

Editorial Reviews

"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

From the Publisher