Efforts to moderate conflict are as old as conflict itself. Throughout the ages, restraint in warfare has been informed by religious and ethical considerations, chivalry and class, and, increasingly since the mid-19th century, a body of customary and treaty law variously referred to as the laws of war, the law of armed conflict (LOAC) or international humanitarian law (IHL). As they evolved from the mid-19th century, these laws were increasingly underpinned by humanitarianism, then in the ...

The law of armed conflict is a key element of the global legal order, yet it finds itself in a state of flux created by the changing nature of warfare and the influences of other branches of international law. The Routledge Handbook of the Law of Armed Conflict provides a unique perspective on the field covering all the key aspects of the law as well as identifying developing and often contentious areas of interest.Comprising original pieces by international experts in the...

Place is inextricably linked to history by way of culture, language, philosophy, faith and the development of worldviews. The richness and depth of experience of the Asia-Pacific region has been under-studied, over-simplified and under-appreciated. This book addresses that lacuna in the subject area of international humanitarian law. Drawing on authoritative perspectives and interviews with experts in and on this topic, including four of the region's most distinguished international judges...

The main theme of this volume of the Yearbook of International Humanitarian Lawis the development and interpretation of international humanitarian law (IHL). It iselaborated upon in several chapters that examine the role of non-state armed groupsin the development and interpretation of IHL, the impact of international criminal lawon the development of IHL, the notion of external non-international armed conflicts,and the regulation of prolong...

The general theme of this volume of the Yearbook of International Humanitarian Lawis armed groups and the challenges arising from the participation of such groups incontemporary armed conflicts. It is elaborated upon in several chapters, addressingthe organisation criterion, respect for and compliance with international humanitarianlaw and international human rights law, targeted sanctions and accountability issues,among other things. Besides these c...

This volume commemorates the centenary of the First World War (1914-2014) and aims to capture 100 years of warfare evolution. Among the main issues addressed are the changing nature of means and methods of warfare, the law of weaponry, and challenges to humanitarian assistance and protection of the civilian population affected by armed conflict. Specific topics include the legal regime governing nuclear weapons, the prohibition of chemical weapons and arms control, the evolution of naval w...

‘Child Soldiers and the Lubanga Case’ and ‘The Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare’ are the two central themes of this volume. Each of these timely topics is addressed from three different angles, providing a truly comprehensive analysis of the subject. The book also features an article on the duty to investigate civilian casualties during armed conflict and its implementation in practice and an elaborate year in review, discussing developments that occurred...

This volume contains several articles on the topic ‘Detention in non-international armed conflict’, including the Copenhagen Process, and moreover features contributions on autonomous weapons systems, Apartheid and the second Turkel Report. It also contains an elaborate Year in Review and a special section on the high-level Boundaries of the Battlefield symposium, including a conference report and several in-depth reflections on various other aspects of the symposium. The Yearbook of Inter...

Genocide and war crimes are increasingly the focus of scholarly and activist attention. Much controversy exists over how, precisely, these grim phenomena should be defined and conceptualized. Genocide, War Crimes & the West tackles this controversy, and clarifies our understanding of an important but under-researched dimension: the involvement of the US and other liberal democracies in actions that are conventionally depicted as the exclusive province of totalitarian and authoritarian regi...

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. It is offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. How relevant is the concept of war today? This book examines how notions about war continue to influence how we conceive rights and obligations in national and international law. It also considers the role international law plays in limiting what is forbidden and legitimated in times of war or armed conflict. Th...

Modern armed conflict has taken a variety of forms and occurs at a variety of levels, raising serious questions concerning the relationship between the law of armed conflict and the reality of contemporary warfare. Many contemporary armed conflicts are fought in pursuit of unlimited objectives, whereas other modern wars seek to advance limited goals. While in some cases modern wars are fought by traditional armies composed of clearly identifiable soldiers, often modern armed conflicts are ...

The legal norms of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are the product of a compromise between humanitarian considerations and the demands of military necessity. In Searching for a 'Principle of Humanity' in International Humanitarian Law, international legal scholars consider whether humanitarian considerations have an independent legal impact on IHL beyond the formation of these norms. They ask whether a 'principle of humanity' can be said to have legal force in its own right. Moreover,...