Changes in the law of self-defence? Drones, imminence, and international norm dynamics

ABSTRACT This article assesses the evolution of the international law of the use of force, focusing on how the emergence of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) influenced international norms regulating the right of self-defence. Drawing on constructivist International Relations research, we develop a socio-legal framework that emphasises changes in the interpretation of the meaning of imminence, and investigate how these changes, counter-terrorism, and the introduction of UAVs have contributed to the adoption of more relaxed standards for the use of force in self-defence. We argue that the Obama administration engaged in a systematic effort to redefine imminence and that a significant numbers of states, including key powers such as China, India and the UK, have largely followed this model. This, we suggest, underlines both the ability of dominant states to shape the interpretation of international norms and the influence of strategic and technological developments on the meaning and interpretation of international law.