Morality and Political Violence

In this book, Coady brings a philosophical and ethical perspective to the subject of political violence.

C. A. J. Coady (Author)

9780521705486, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 8 October 2007

332 pages
22.6 x 15.2 x 2.3 cm, 0.5 kg

'This is a comprehensive discussion of political violence and the morality of war. Each of its fourteen chapters treats a major topic with insight and analytical rigor.' Bruce M. Landesman, Philosophy in Review

Political violence in the form of wars, insurgencies, terrorism and violent rebellion constitutes a major human challenge. C. A. J. Coady brings a philosophical and ethical perspective as he places the problems of war and political violence in the frame of reflective ethics. In this book, Coady re-examines a range of urgent problems pertinent to political violence against the background of a contemporary approach to just war thinking. The problems examined include: the right to make war and conduct war, terrorism, revolution, humanitarianism, mercenary warriors, the ideal of peace and the right way to end war. Coady attempts to vindicate the contemporary relevance of the just war tradition to current problems without applying the tradition in a merely mechanical or uncritical fashion.

1. Staring at armageddon
2. The idea of violence
3. Violence and justice
4. Aggression, defence, and just cause
5. Justice with prudence
6. The right way to fight
7. The problem of collateral damage
8. The morality of terrorism
9. The immunities of combatants
10. Morality and mercenary warrior
11. Objecting morally
12. Weapons of mass destruction
13. The ideal of peace
14. The issue of stringency.

Subject Areas: International human rights law [LBBR], Politics & government [JP], Social & political philosophy [HPS]