Overview
- Provides a rare and solid body of relevant materials and documents from the 15th century to 2010
- Identifies and uses a new legal basis for reconciling the continuing scholarly conflict
- Creates a definition of the legal commencement of an armed attack for the purpose of Article 51 of the U.N. Charter ?
Part of the book series: Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice (IUSGENT, volume 19)
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About this book
Determining the earliest point in time at which international law authorises a state to exercise its inherent right of self-defence is an issue which has been debated, but unsatisfactorily reasoned, by scholars and states since the 1960’s. Yet it remains arguably the most pressing question of law that faces the international community. This book unravels the legal and factual complications which have obscured the answer to this question. In contrast to most other works, it takes an historic approach by tracing the evolution of the rights, rules and principles of international law which have governed the use of force by states since the 16th century. Its emphasis on self-defence provides the reader with a new and complete understanding of how and why the international legal framework limits defensive force to repelling an imminent threat or use of offensive force which is directed at the territory of a state.
Taking an historic approach enables this book to resurrect an understanding of the human defensive instinct which has guided the formation of the international law of self-defence. It also explains the true legal nature and scope of the inherent right of self-defence, of anticipatory self-defence and provides a definition of the legal commencement of an armed attack for the purpose of Article 51 of the Charter. Finally, the reader will receive a unique source of research materials and analysis of state practice and of scholarly works concerning self-defence and the use of force since the 16th century, which is suitable for all readers of international law around the world.
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Keywords
- Anticipatory Self-Defence
- Armed Attack
- Armed Attack Between Sovereign States
- Controversial Instances of the use of Force
- Covenant of the League of Nations 1919
- General Treaty for the Renunciation of War 1928
- Inherent Right of Self-Defence
- Inherent Right of Self-Defence
- International Customary Law
- International Law
- Judgments of the International Court of Justice
- Offensive and Defensive War
- Preemptive use of Armed Force
- Prohibition of the Threat or use of Force
- Recognition of the Inherent Right of Self-Defence
- Sovereign Right to Use War
- Theory of Just War
- Treaties Restricting the use of War
- Use of Force Between States
Table of contents (7 chapters)
Reviews
From the book reviews:
“Murray Colin Alder’s The Inherent Right of Self-Defence in International Law is a very welcome addition to the canon of literature examining the right of self-defence in international law. The book is very well researched and contains a wealth of references to useful documents and other materials and resources. Moreover, it successfully presents a new and fresh way of approaching the understanding of Article 51 and the legal scope of the right of self-defence.” (Graham Melling, Journal on the Use of Force and International Law, Vol. 1 (1), August, 2014)Authors and Affiliations
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Inherent Right of Self-Defence in International Law
Authors: Murray Colin Alder
Series Title: Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4851-4
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Law and Criminology (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. 2013
Hardcover ISBN: 978-94-007-4850-7Published: 22 September 2012
Softcover ISBN: 978-94-017-8485-6Published: 15 October 2014
eBook ISBN: 978-94-007-4851-4Published: 21 September 2012
Series ISSN: 1534-6781
Series E-ISSN: 2214-9902
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVIII, 222
Topics: Private International Law, International & Foreign Law, Comparative Law, Philosophy of Law, Theories of Law, Philosophy of Law, Legal History