MACMILLAN Walzer and War: Reading Just and Unjust Wars Today

This book presents ten original essays that reassess the meaning, relevance, and legacy of Michael Walzer’s classic, Just and Unjust Wars. Written by leading figures in philosophy, theology, international politics and the military, the essays examine topics such as territorial rights, lessons from America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the practice of humanitarian intervention in light of experience, Walzer’s notorious discussion of supreme emergencies, revisionist criticisms of noncombatant immunity, gender and the rights of combatants, the peacebuilding critique of just war theory, and the responsibility of soldiers for unjust wars. Collectively, these essays advance the debate in this important field and demonstrate the continued relevance of Walzer’s work. Review "One mark of a classic work is its persistent power to reward engagement with fresh insight. Walzer and War shows that Michael Walzer's Just and Unjust Wars has just such power to generate important new lines of thought about the ethics of war. Walzer revived 'just war' thinking; now this book revives him."  -Nigel Biggar, Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford, and author of In Defence of War (OUP, 2013) “There couldn’t be a better time to honor and reaffirm the importance of Michael Walzer’s groundbreaking and magisterial Just and Unjust Wars. These essays by leading scholars elucidate Walzer’s original insight, that war must be fought justly and that just war theory is not a niche discipline in either history, law, or philosophy. Walzer needs to be read and reread, critically, but never ever abandoned. This is a most fitting companion for keeping Just and Unjust Wars relevant and alive.”     -Nancy Sherman, University Professor, Georgetown University and author of Afterwar “This is an excellent collection of interesting essays rethinking and reevaluating Walzer's highly influential work. Especially illuminating are the discussions of Walzer's assumptions, and the authors make admirable progress in understanding and confronting the moral dilemmas of going to war and conducting it.” -Virginia Held, Distinguished Professor Emerita, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, and author of How Terrorism is Wrong: Morality and Political Violence From the Back Cover This book presents ten original essays that reassess the meaning, relevance, and legacy of Michael Walzer’s classic, Just and Unjust Wars. Written by leading figures in philosophy, theology, international politics and the military, the essays examine topics such as territorial rights, lessons from America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the practice of humanitarian intervention in light of experience, Walzer’s notorious discussion of supreme emergencies, revisionist criticisms of noncombatant immunity, gender and the rights of combatants, the peacebuilding critique of just war theory, and the responsibility of soldiers for unjust wars. Collectively, these essays advance the debate in this important field and demonstrate the continued relevance of Walzer’s work. Graham Parsons is Associate Professor in the Department of English and Philosophy at the United States Military Academy at West Point, USA and was previously Fellow at the Individualisation of War Project, European University Institute, Italy.     Mark A. Wilson is a Teaching Professor of Ethics and was previously Chair of the Returning Soldiers Project at Villanova University, USA. About the Author Graham Parsons is Associate Professor in the Department of English and Philosophy at the United States Military Academy at West Point, USA and was previously Fellow at the Individualisation of War Project, European University Institute, Italy.     Mark A. Wilson is a Teaching Professor of Ethics and was previously Chair of the Returning Soldiers Project at Villanova University, USA.