Comparative Just War Theory

Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues holds a PhD from the University of York and is an associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy, Yuelu Academy, Hunan University, China. He has published widely on multiculturalism, just war theory and animals. His main publications are two edited books Philosophies of Multiculturalism: Beyond Liberalism (Routledge, 2017), Animals, Race and Multiculturalism (Palgrave) and articles on Critical Studies on Terrorism, Journal of Speculative Philosophy, Theoria and Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics.Danny Singh is Senior Lecturer in Criminology & Sociology at Teesside University. He has previously taught at the University of York’s Department of Politics and at Leeds Beckett University. He has published on interventions in war-torn states leading to police and judicial reform and anti-corruption. These journals include: Conflict, Security & Development, The Police Journal, Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, Journal of Developing Societies, Crime, Law and Social Change and Policy Studies.He is currently working on a monograph titled, Investigating Corruption in the Afghan Police Force: Instability and insecurity in post-conflict societies in contract with Bristol University Press/Policy Press.

• Series Editors’ Foreword: Contemporary Social–Political Philosophy and Comparative Just War TheoryLaurie Shrage and Naomi ZackForeword: Ethics and War in a Globalized World Alex J. BellamyIntroduction: International and Comparative Perspectives to Just War TheoryDanny Singh and Luís Cordeiro-Rodrigues1. Anarchism and Just War TheoryNathan Jun2. “The Only Justifiable War”: The Marxist Strategies of Lenin, Trotsky, and BlancoAndrew Ryder3. A Pacifist Critique of Just War TheoryRichard Jackson4. Undertaking Critical Legal Theory to Examine Just War Intervention: A Smokescreen for Political AmbitionsDanny Singh5. An Examination of Nigerian, Sri Lankan, and Guatemalan Civil Wars in Light of the Law of Armed ConflictJonathan O. Chimakonam and Victor C. A. Nweke6. African Feminists’ Critique of Just Wars and the Reality of African Women in WarsOlajumoke M. Akiode7. Feminist Care Political Theory and Contemporary Just War TheoryHeleana Theixos8. An African Theory of Just Causes for War Thaddeus Metz9. The Classical Confucian Ideas of Jus ad BellumCao Qin10. Just War and the Indian Tradition: Arguments from the BattlefieldShyam Ranganathan11. The Islamic War Ethic in Theory and PracticeDavis Brown12. Just War Thinking in Chinese BuddhismDr. Tong Sau Lin and Dr. King-Fai Tam

From philosophical debates to classroom discussions, just war theory focuses myopically on Christian (most often Catholic) and Western conceptions. The typical progression takes one from Augustine to Thomas Aquinas to a pastoral letter from the US National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Largely ignored are voices and perspectives outside this tradition. This book redresses this problem and fills significant gaps resulting from this narrow focus. Comprising 12 essays and an introduction by the editors, the collection covers an impressive range of perspectives on just war theory. Some essays deal with different theoretical perspectives—including anarchism, pacifism, feminism, and Marxism-Leninism. Other essays address various cultural approaches, including those of non-Western religions (Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism) and from diverse areas of the world (Africa, India, Asia, and Central America). Unlike many philosophy books, this one was written to be accessible to a wide audience. An important book for anyone interested in the moral bases for the use of military force. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals; general readers.