Georgetown University Press, 2003 Paper: 978-0-87840-345-5 Library of Congress Classification HV6431.G538 2003 Dewey Decimal Classification 303.625
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC
ABOUT THIS BOOK
A timely philosophical treatment of the current wave of international terrorism and armed conflicts around the world, New Terror, New Wars explores the ethical significance of September 11, and its aftermath. From the nationalistic violence that reigned over the last century, to the amorphous terrors without national boundaries characterizing the opening of this new century, Gilbert leads the way through some of the difficult terrain that has brought the world to these troubling crossroads. He examines the causes of new wars as they are made manifest in the politics of identity, he questions when military force is justified in the pursuit of political goals. He asks whether the "just war" theory is adequate for evaluating and then regulating contemporary conflicts. He deals with the core issues of traditional conflict: self-defense, the conduct of war, hatred and revenge, but also with newer forms, such as conflict in the guise of "humanitarian intervention."
The hopeful conclusion to all wars is, of course, the restoration of peace. Gilbert concludes with a philosophical investigation of not only how to end them, but also how to resolve the conflicts that gave rise to them in the first place and how to produce the conditions in which they are unlikely to occur again—reminding us that the end to a "just war" must be a "just peace" and outlining what the nature of that just peace should be. New Terror, New Wars will be required reading for all those concerned with the ethical issues that inevitably arise from armed conflicts in whatever dire form they may take.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Paul Gilbert is professor of philosophy at the University of Hull and author of Nations, Cultures, and Markets; Terrorism, Security, and Nationality; The Philosophy of Nationalism; and Peoples, Cultures, and Nations in Political Philosophy.
REVIEWS
-- John Langan, SJ, Rose Kennedy Professor of Christian Ethics, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Preface 00
1 Old and New Wars 00
2 The Right of Self-Defence 00
3 Myths of Identity 00
4 Hatred and Revenge 00
5 The Conduct of War 00
6 Righting the Wrongs of War 00
7 Restoring Peace 00
Index 00
Preface
'Writing this book over the last couple of years has been a dispiriting experience.' So
I wrote in the Preface to an earlier book, Terrorism, Security and Nationality (London:
Routledge, 1994). The writing of this one has been scarcely more heartening. Having
started by exploring the evidently nationalist violence of the end of the twentieth
century and the reactions to it of states and alliances, I struggled to make sense of the
breakdown of ethical norms on all sides. Then, halfway through the writing, came
September 11th and its aftermath in Afghanistan, which forced me to broaden the
scope of the enquiry and to become, perhaps, more politically engaged than I had
originally envisaged. The present volume is the result, raising, as it does, many more
questions than it answers and eliciting, I dare say, more disagreement than assent.
Chapter 1 contains material presented to a conference on 'War and Virtual
War' at Mansfield College, Oxford in 2002, while part of Chapter 3 was given at the
Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 'Philosophy and Psychoanalysis' conference in the
same year. Chapter 6 incorporates part of my contribution to the Society of Applied
Philosophy conference at Manchester, 2001, which was subsequently published in A.
Moseley & R. Norman (eds) Human Rights and Military Intervention (Aldershot:
Ashgate, 2002). I thank the editors and publishers (www.ashgate.com) for permission
to reuse it. The same chapter also draws upon a paper given to a 'Truth, Amnesty and
Reconciliation' conference at Hull in 2000. I should like to thank the organisers of
these events for the opportunity to think about the issues involved and the participants
for their critical reactions.
Foremost among the others to whom I am indebted for illuminating discussion
is Loretta Napoleoni, who has been a constant source of encouragement since she
translated my earlier terrorism book into Italian six years ago. I should also like to
thank the Series Editor Brenda Almond, Edinburgh University Press's Editor Jackie
Jones, and Hull Humanities Secretary Chris Coulson, without whom the book would
not have reached the stage of publication. I am grateful, too, to the University of Hull
and to the Arts and Humanities Research Board for research leaves which enabled me
to write it. My greatest hope is that it will rapidly become irrelevant, my fear is that it
will not.
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication: Terrorism, Nationalism, War on terrorism, 2001-Terrorism Prevention
Georgetown University Press, 2003 Paper: 978-0-87840-345-5
A timely philosophical treatment of the current wave of international terrorism and armed conflicts around the world, New Terror, New Wars explores the ethical significance of September 11, and its aftermath. From the nationalistic violence that reigned over the last century, to the amorphous terrors without national boundaries characterizing the opening of this new century, Gilbert leads the way through some of the difficult terrain that has brought the world to these troubling crossroads. He examines the causes of new wars as they are made manifest in the politics of identity, he questions when military force is justified in the pursuit of political goals. He asks whether the "just war" theory is adequate for evaluating and then regulating contemporary conflicts. He deals with the core issues of traditional conflict: self-defense, the conduct of war, hatred and revenge, but also with newer forms, such as conflict in the guise of "humanitarian intervention."
The hopeful conclusion to all wars is, of course, the restoration of peace. Gilbert concludes with a philosophical investigation of not only how to end them, but also how to resolve the conflicts that gave rise to them in the first place and how to produce the conditions in which they are unlikely to occur again—reminding us that the end to a "just war" must be a "just peace" and outlining what the nature of that just peace should be. New Terror, New Wars will be required reading for all those concerned with the ethical issues that inevitably arise from armed conflicts in whatever dire form they may take.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
Paul Gilbert is professor of philosophy at the University of Hull and author of Nations, Cultures, and Markets; Terrorism, Security, and Nationality; The Philosophy of Nationalism; and Peoples, Cultures, and Nations in Political Philosophy.
REVIEWS
-- John Langan, SJ, Rose Kennedy Professor of Christian Ethics, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Preface 00
1 Old and New Wars 00
2 The Right of Self-Defence 00
3 Myths of Identity 00
4 Hatred and Revenge 00
5 The Conduct of War 00
6 Righting the Wrongs of War 00
7 Restoring Peace 00
Index 00
Preface
'Writing this book over the last couple of years has been a dispiriting experience.' So
I wrote in the Preface to an earlier book, Terrorism, Security and Nationality (London:
Routledge, 1994). The writing of this one has been scarcely more heartening. Having
started by exploring the evidently nationalist violence of the end of the twentieth
century and the reactions to it of states and alliances, I struggled to make sense of the
breakdown of ethical norms on all sides. Then, halfway through the writing, came
September 11th and its aftermath in Afghanistan, which forced me to broaden the
scope of the enquiry and to become, perhaps, more politically engaged than I had
originally envisaged. The present volume is the result, raising, as it does, many more
questions than it answers and eliciting, I dare say, more disagreement than assent.
Chapter 1 contains material presented to a conference on 'War and Virtual
War' at Mansfield College, Oxford in 2002, while part of Chapter 3 was given at the
Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 'Philosophy and Psychoanalysis' conference in the
same year. Chapter 6 incorporates part of my contribution to the Society of Applied
Philosophy conference at Manchester, 2001, which was subsequently published in A.
Moseley & R. Norman (eds) Human Rights and Military Intervention (Aldershot:
Ashgate, 2002). I thank the editors and publishers (www.ashgate.com) for permission
to reuse it. The same chapter also draws upon a paper given to a 'Truth, Amnesty and
Reconciliation' conference at Hull in 2000. I should like to thank the organisers of
these events for the opportunity to think about the issues involved and the participants
for their critical reactions.
Foremost among the others to whom I am indebted for illuminating discussion
is Loretta Napoleoni, who has been a constant source of encouragement since she
translated my earlier terrorism book into Italian six years ago. I should also like to
thank the Series Editor Brenda Almond, Edinburgh University Press's Editor Jackie
Jones, and Hull Humanities Secretary Chris Coulson, without whom the book would
not have reached the stage of publication. I am grateful, too, to the University of Hull
and to the Arts and Humanities Research Board for research leaves which enabled me
to write it. My greatest hope is that it will rapidly become irrelevant, my fear is that it
will not.
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication: Terrorism, Nationalism, War on terrorism, 2001-Terrorism Prevention
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC