Issue 23.2
Briefly Noted
This section contains a round-up of recent notable books in the field of international affairs.
Embedded Cosmopolitanism: Duties to Strangers and Enemies in a World of ‘Dislocated Communities’ by Toni Erskine
The ongoing debate about the importance of promoting an idea of shared human identity that is not mediated by any personal connection, particularly in times of war, is made better by Erskine’s contribution, says Vernon.
Defending Humanity: When Force is Justified and Why by George Fletcher and Jens David Ohlin
The authors seek a legal foundation for humanitarian intervention without Security Council authorization squarely within the UN Charter’s Article 51, which grants UN members an “inherent right of individual or collective self-defense” in response to armed attack.
On Global Order: Power, Values, and the Constitution of International Society by Andrew Hurrell
“This is one of the finest books on the normative dimension of global governance published in the past decade,” writes reviewer Samuel Makinda. “[It] should serve as a resource for a wide range of readers.”
The Refugee in International Society: Between Sovereigns by Emma Haddad
How is it that within a couple of short decades refugees in European public perception went from being the archetypal “heroes” of the international system to being a disparaged and unwanted “flood” of migrants?
The Norms and Politics of Exit: Ending Postconflict Transitional Administrations
This paper examines the impact of the liberal-democratic norms governing statebuilding operations on the timing and process of exit of post-conflict international transitional administrations.
Just and Unjust Postwar Reconstruction: How Much External Interference Can Be Justified
This article discusses various approaches to “shared responsibility” in recent international reconstruction efforts in war-torn societies and speculates about how best to ensure a timely transition toward full domestic ownership of governance.
Moral Responsibilities and the Conflicting Demands of Jus Post Bellum [Abstract]
The inclusion of jus post bellum in just war theory may be justified. But, according to Evans, it becomes problematic when confronted with tenets of “just occupation,” namely that sovereignty or self-determination should be restored to the occupied people as soon as is reasonably possible.