{"title":"International Humanitarian Law: Necessity, Distinction and the ‘Standard of Civilisation’","authors":"M. Killingsworth","doi":"10.1163/18781527-bja10062","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"\nThe modern laws of war are an integral foundation of 19th century efforts to establish and maintain order within the then emerging international society of states. But membership was conditional; only ‘civilised’ states were permitted entry to international society. Engaging with the concept of ‘the standard of civilisation’, the aim of this paper is to demonstrate a continuity of double standards as they relate to protections afforded by the modern laws of war. It will argue that these double standards have been, and continue to be, underpinned by attempts to de-humanise belligerents via the language of the ‘standard of civilisation’. In making this argument, the paper will draw attention to the historical centrality of the state and the role it has played in establishing conditionality with regards to protections afforded by the modern laws of war through the language of raison d’état and the standard of civilisation.","PeriodicalId":41905,"journal":{"name":"Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.3000,"publicationDate":"2023-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1163/18781527-bja10062","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"LAW","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The modern laws of war are an integral foundation of 19th century efforts to establish and maintain order within the then emerging international society of states. But membership was conditional; only ‘civilised’ states were permitted entry to international society. Engaging with the concept of ‘the standard of civilisation’, the aim of this paper is to demonstrate a continuity of double standards as they relate to protections afforded by the modern laws of war. It will argue that these double standards have been, and continue to be, underpinned by attempts to de-humanise belligerents via the language of the ‘standard of civilisation’. In making this argument, the paper will draw attention to the historical centrality of the state and the role it has played in establishing conditionality with regards to protections afforded by the modern laws of war through the language of raison d’état and the standard of civilisation.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies is a peer reviewed journal aimed at promoting the rule of law in humanitarian emergency situations and, in particular, the protection and assistance afforded to persons in the event of armed conflicts and natural disasters in all phases and facets under international law. The Journal welcomes submissions in the areas of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, international refugee law and international law relating to disaster response. In addition, other areas of law can be identified including, but not limited to the norms regulating the prevention of humanitarian emergency situations, the law concerning internally displaced persons, arms control and disarmament law, legal issues relating to human security, and the implementation and enforcement of humanitarian norms. The Journal´s objective is to further the understanding of these legal areas in their own right as well as in their interplay. The Journal encourages writing beyond the theoretical level taking into account the practical implications from the perspective of those who are or may be affected by humanitarian emergency situations. The Journal aims at and seeks the perspective of academics, government and organisation officials, military lawyers, practitioners working in the humanitarian (legal) field, as well as students and other individuals interested therein.