War and International Justice A Kantian Perspective [Paperback]

Can war ever be just? By what right do we charge people with war crimes? Can war itself be a crime? What is a good peace treaty?

Since the Cold War ended in the early 1990s, many wars have erupted, inflaming such areas as the Persian Gulf, Central Africa and Central Europe. Brutalities committed during these conflicts have sparked new interest in the ethics of war and peace.

Brian Orend explores the ethics of war and peace from a Kantian perspective, emphasizing human rights protection, the rule of international law and a fully global concept of justice. Contending that Kants just war doctrine has not been given its due, Orend displays Kants theory to its fullest, impressive effect. He then completely and clearly updates Kants perspective for application to our time.

Along the way, he criticizes pacifism and realism, explores the nature of human rights protection during wartime, and defends a theory of just war. He also looks ahead to future developments in global institutional reform using cases from the Persian Gulf War, Somalia, Bosnia, and Rwanda to illustrate his argument.

Controversial and timely, perhaps the most important contributionWar and International Justice: A Kantian Perspectivemakes is with regard to the question of justice after war. Orend offers a principled theory of war termination, making an urgent plea to reform current international law.

``For many reasons this book...is a valuable contribution to the just war tradition.''``Opening a new topic in Kant scholarship as well as a new perspective on international relations, Brian Orend has delivered an impressive first book that is likely to refresh and stimulate debate.''

Table of Contents for
War and International Justice: A Kantian Perspectiveby Brian Orend

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

Part One: Kants Just War Theory

Chapter 1. Kants Context

Introduction

Groundwork to KanlÓ,