Human Rights and War Through Civilian Eyes / Thomas W. Smith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Smith, Thomas W., author.

Series:

Pennsylvania studies in human rights.

Pennsylvania Studies in Human Rights

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

War--Protection of civilians.

War.

Combatants and noncombatants (International law).

Humanitarian law.

Civilian war casualties--Case studies.

Civilian war casualties.

Civilian war casualties--Gaza Strip.

Civilian war casualties--Iraq.

Civil war--Protection of civilians--Case studies.

Civil war.

Civil war--Protection of civilians--Gaza Strip.

Civil war--Protection of civilians--Iraq.

Human rights--Gaza Strip.

Human rights.

Human rights--Iraq.

Military ethics--Case studies.

Military ethics.

Genre:

Case studies

Electronic books.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (273 pages)

Edition:

1st edition.

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press, [2016]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

International lawyers and ethicists have long judged wars from the perspective of the state and its actions, developing international humanitarian law by asking such questions as "Are the belligerents justified in entering the conflict?" and "How should they conduct themselves during the war's execution?" and "When civilian noncombatants are harmed, who is responsible for their suffering?" Human Rights and War Through Civilian Eyes reimagines the ethics of war from the standpoint of its collateral victims, focusing on the effects of war on individuals--on those who are terrorized, or killed, or whose lives are violently disrupted. Upholding a human rights analysis of war, Thomas W. Smith conveys vividly the depth of human loss and the narrowing of everyday life brought about by armed conflict.Through riveting case studies of the Iraq War and the recent Gaza conflicts, Smith shows how even combatants who profess to follow the laws of war often engage in appalling violence and brutality, cutting short civilian lives, ruining economies, rending social fabrics, and collapsing public infrastructure. A focus on the human dimension of warfare makes clear the limits of international humanitarian law, and underscores how human rights perspectives increase its efficacy. At a moment when liberal states are rethinking the ethics of war as they seek to extricate themselves from unjust or unwise conflicts and taking on the responsibility to intervene to protect vulnerable people from slaughter, Human Rights and War helps us see with bracing clarity the devastating impact of war on innocent people.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1. Human Rights and the Norms of Modern Warfare

Chapter 2. Humanizing the Laws of War

Chapter 3. The Implosion of Iraq: "Shock and Awe," Insurgency, and Sectarian Terror

Chapter 4. The Gaza Wars, 2008-2014: Human Rights Agency and Advocacy

Chapter 5. Who's Responsible? Justice and Accountability

Chapter 6. "Kind- Hearted Gunmen": Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention

Conclusion

Notes

References

Index

Acknowledgments.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 25. Jul 2018)

ISBN:

9780812293616

0812293614

OCLC:

960977819