Force and Legitimacy in World Politics

A leading group of international authorities consider the issues surrounding the legitimation of force.

David Armstrong (Edited by), Theo Farrell (Edited by), Bice Maiguashca (Edited by)

9780521691642, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 15 June 2006

270 pages
24.7 x 17.1 x 1.2 cm, 0.481 kg

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?

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.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS], Globalization [JFFS], Social & political philosophy [HPS]