The Use of Force and International Law

The Use of Force and International Law offers an authoritative overview of international law governing the resort to force. Looking through the prism of the contemporary challenges that this area of international law faces, including technology, sovereignty, actors, compliance and enforcement, this book addresses key aspects of international law in this area: the general breadth and scope of the prohibition of force, what is meant by 'force', the use of force through the UN and regional organisations, the use of force in peacekeeping operations, the right of self-defence and the customary limitations upon this right, forcible intervention in civil conflicts, and the controversial doctrine of humanitarian intervention. Suitable for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, academics and practitioners, The Use of Force and International Law offers a contemporary, comprehensive and accessible treatment of the subject.

Part I. The Prohibition of the Threat or Use of Force: 1. The general breadth and scope of the prohibition; 2. The meaning of 'force'; Part II. The Use of Force in the Context of Collective Security: 3. The use of force under the auspices of the United Nations; 4. Issues in relation to authorisation by the UN Security Council; 5. Peacekeeping and the use of force; Part III. The Use of Force in Self-Defence: 6. General aspects of the right of self-defence; 7. Preventative self-defence; 8. Self-defence against non-state actors; Part IV. Forcible Intervention in Situations of Civil Unrest: 9. Consent to intervention and intervention in civil wars; 10. The doctrine of humanitarian intervention; Conclusions; Index.

Christian Henderson is Professor of International Law at Sussex Law School. He is also co-editor-in-chief of the Journal on the Use of Force and International Law and is a member of the International Law Association's Committee on the Use of Force.