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Humanitarian Intervention: Which Way Forward? [Abstract]
Ethics & International Affairs, Volume 14 (2000)
Richard Caplan

 
     
 

December 4, 2000

States have long taken exception to the notion of humanitarian intervention because it threatens to undermine a bedrock principle of international order: national sovereignty. In the case of Kosovo, however, NATO's nineteen member states chose not only to put aside their concerns for national sovereignty in favor of humanitarian considerations, but also to act without UN authorization. This essay examines the ways in which states — European states in particular — are rethinking historic prohibitions against humanitarian intervention in the wake of the Kosovo war. It focuses on two approaches:

  • Efforts to reinterpret international law so as to demonstrate the legitimacy of humanitarian intervention and
  • Efforts to build a political consensus regarding when and how states may use force for humanitarian ends.

While efforts to weaken prohibitions may succeed, thereby facilitating future interventions, resolution of the tension between legitimacy and effectiveness in defense of human rights will continue to elude the international community unless a political consensus can be achieved.

 

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The Carnegie Council's flagship publication, Ethics & International Affairs is an interdisciplinary resource for scholars, students, and policy analysts concerned with the moral dimensions of global issues. The journal covers global justice, civil society, democratization, international law, intervention, sanctions, and related topics.

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The Editors welcome responses to Features and Essays published in Ethics & International Affairs. To be considered for publication, responses should be no longer than one thousand words, including endnotes (which should be kept to a minimum). Responses are not peer-reviewed, and are published at the Editors' discretion. All responses are subject to editing for length and style. In the event of any questions or substantive editing, the response will be returned to the author for final approval prior to publication. Responses are published online, alongside the article they address.

Related

Biography
Richard Caplan
 
Keywords
Ethics, Intervention, Human Rights
 
Topics
Ethics
Humanitarian Intervention
Human Rights
International Law
 
 
 

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