War, States, and International Order: Alberico Gentili and the Foundational Myth of the Laws of War

Claire Vergerio (Universiteit Leiden)

War, States, and International Order: Alberico Gentili and the Foundational Myth of the Laws of War
Format
Hardback
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Country
United Kingdom
Published
4 August 2022
Pages
320
ISBN
9781009098014

War, States, and International Order: Alberico Gentili and the Foundational Myth of the Laws of War

Claire Vergerio (Universiteit Leiden)

Who has the right to wage war? The answer to this question constitutes one of the most fundamental organizing principles of any international order. Under contemporary international humanitarian law, this right is essentially restricted to sovereign states. It has been conventionally assumed that this arrangement derives from the ideas of the late-sixteenth century jurist Alberico Gentili. Claire Vergerio argues that this story is a myth, invented in the late 1800s by a group of prominent international lawyers who crafted what would become the contemporary laws of war. These lawyers reinterpreted Gentili’s writings on war after centuries of marginal interest, and this revival was deeply intertwined with a project of making the modern sovereign state the sole subject of international law. By uncovering the genesis and diffusion of this narrative, Vergerio calls for a profound reassessment of when and with what consequences war became the exclusive prerogative of sovereign states.

This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in approx 2 weeks

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.