Just War Theory

When is it morally permissible for states to resort to force? Who is liable to being harmed in war? Does the legal distinction between combatant and civilian express a meaningful difference in individuals’ moral status? When are belligerents morally obligated to sue for peace? For over a decade now, ELAC has provided a focal point for scholars thinking about these and other questions on the morality of war (Rodin, Dill, Shue, McMahan, Ryan). The programme has hosted several workshops, which resulted in published symposia addressing i.a. the Morality of Defensive War, Law and Morality in War, and Ending Wars.