Innocent Civilians: The Morality of Killing in War

by C. McKeogh

Overview

Why is it that soldiers may be killed in war but civilians may not be killed? By tracing the evolution of the principle of non-combatant immunity in Western thought from its medieval religious origins to its modern legal status, Colm McKeogh attempts to answer this question. In doing so he highlights the unsuccessful attempts to reconcile warfare with our civilization's most fundamental principles of justice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781349429653
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	01/01/2002
Edition description:	1st ed. 2002
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

COLM MCKEOGH is Lecturer in the Defence and Strategic Studies Programme, University of Waikoto, New Zealand. He is the author of The Political Realism of Reinhold Niebuhr.

Table of Contents

Introduction Guilt and Punitive War 1 Guilt and Punitive War 2 Social Roles and Feudal War Innocence of Modern War Non-Combatancy and Formal War Involvement and Total War Conclusion Bibliography Index

Editorial Reviews

Justice requires that innocent civilians should not be targeted in war. This work traces the evolution of the principle of non-combatant immunity in Western thought from its medieval religious origins to its modern legal status, highlighting the unsuccessful attempts to reconcile warfare with the West's most fundamental principle of justice. The book concludes by pointing to the changes required in the legal status of civilians and soldiers in war. McKeogh lectures in political science at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

' - this succinct, well-written study...should be part of all major academic libraries...highly recommended...' - M. Amstutz, Choice

From the Publisher