Civilian Immunity in War

Edited by Igor Primoratz

Eleven specially commissioned essays on an issue of pressing public concern
Reliable, informative, and thought-provoking treatment of the ethics and legality of war
Fills a gap in the scholarly literature
Excellent international line-up of contributors
Perspectives from philosophy, politics, law, and history

Civilian Immunity in War

Edited by Igor Primoratz

Description

The protection of noncombatants from deadly violence is the centrepiece of any account of ethical and legal constraints on war. It was a major achievement of moral progress from early modern times to World War I. Yet it has been under constant attrition since - perhaps never more so than in our time, with its 'new wars', the spectre of weapons of mass destruction, and the global terrorism alert.

Civilian Immunity in War, written in collaboration by eleven authors, provides the first comprehensive analysis of all main aspects of this highly topical subject. It considers the arguments for rejection of civilian immunity and the main theories of the grounds and proper scope of this immunity, both deontological (just war theory) and consequentialist. Separate chapters examine the historical development of the idea of civilian immunity, its standing in current international law, and the problem of "collateral damage": of harming civilians without intent, as a side-effect of attacks on military targets. The volume also addresses a string of specific issues. Civilian immunity has undergone much attrition with the development of air warfare and the tendency of military conflict to degenerate into "total" war. On the other hand, modern military technology with its precision guidance missiles and "smart" bombs opens up the possibility of restricting deadly violence to its proper targets and staying clear of civilian life, limb, and property. Another pressing issue is the fate of women in war in light of mass rapes characteristic of some "new wars".

Civilian Immunity in War

Edited by Igor Primoratz

Acknowledgements
Notes on the contributors
Introduction
Part one
1. Civilian immunity in war: its grounds, scope and weight, Igor Primoratz
2. Civilians and soldiers, Uwe Steinhoff
3. Civilian immunity in war: from Augustine to Vattel, Colm McKeogh
4. Civilian immunity in war: legal aspects, David Kretzmer
5. Civilian immunity, forcing the choice and collective responsibility, Seumas Miller
6. Collateral immunity in war and terrorism, C.A.J. (Tony) Coady
Part two
7. Air power and non-combatant immunity: the road to Dresden, Stephen A. Garrett
8. Civilian immunity in the precision-guidance age, Hugh White
9. Civilian immunity in the 'new wars', Paul Gilbert
10. Women, war and international law, Veronique Zanetti
11. War and the protection of property, Janna Thompson

Civilian Immunity in War

Edited by Igor Primoratz

Author Information

Igor Primoratz is Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics at the University of Melbourne and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Contributors:

Igor Primoratz, University of Melbourne
Uwe Steinhoff, St Cross College, Oxford
Colm McKeogh, Waikato University
David Kretzmer, Hebrew University
Seumas Miller, Australian National University
C.A.J. (Tony) Coady, University of Melbourne
Stephen A. Garrett, Montrey Institute of International Studies
Hugh White, Australian National University
Paul Gilbert, University of Hull
Véronique Zanetti, University of Bielefeld
Janna Thompson, La Trobe University