Overview
This volume features original essays on the ethics of ending wars (jus ex bello). It fills a significant gap in just war theory and sets the stage for other thinkers to engage with the topic. What makes questions about jus ex bello especially difficult for ethicists to answer is that the just war tradition has neglected to develop principles for ending wars justly. Until recently, debates have primarily focused on justice in going to war (jus ad bellum), justice in fighting a war (jus in bello), and justice after war (jus post bellum). Additionally, many contemporary conflicts are unconventional and not the kind that the traditional principles of just war theory are designed to address. The chapters in this volume address the question of how and when wars can end justly. Part 1 approaches jus ex bello from different theoretical angles, including just war theory, virtue ethics, pacifism, and feminism. Part 2 discusses specific aspects of recent wars: the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of military involvement in the country, and the war that began with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, that is so difficult to end despite the escalating human cost. Ending Wars Justly is an essential resource for scholars and advanced students working in just war theory, the ethics of war and peace, international relations, and military and strategic studies.
Full Product Details
Author: David K. Chan (University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA)
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint: Routledge
Weight: 0.550kg
ISBN: 9781032593074
ISBN 10: 1032593075
Pages: 198
Publication Date: 14 April 2025
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
""Morality sometimes requires that a just war be ended before it has achieved its aims – and, occasionally, that an unjust war be prolonged. The essays in this urgently needed book greatly advance our understanding of the moral principles that determine when a belligerent must stop fighting."" Jeff McMahan, Oxford University, UK ""David Chan skilfully edits this outstanding collection of essays on a vital, yet under-appreciated, aspect of wartime justice. Penned by top experts, this thought-provoking volume combines searching theoretical reflections with detailed practical pieces, focussing on recent cases like Ukraine, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Highly recommended!"" Brian Orend, University of Waterloo, Canada ""The recognition of when and how to end wars justly (jus ex bello) has heretofore been neglected even in the midst of widespread discussion of other “juses” in contemporary moral and political discourse about war. The editor and several eminent scholars thoughtfully engage and rectify that glaring omission in this much-needed work."" George Lucas, Professor emeritus, U.S. Naval Academy
Author Information
David K. Chan is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is the author of Beyond Just War: A Virtue Ethics Approach (2012), and Action Reconceptualized: Human Agency and Its Sources (2016), and the editor of Moral Psychology Today: Essays on Values, Rational Choice, and the Will (2008).
