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The miracle of generative violence. René Girard and the use of force in International law

Noll, Gregor LU (2008) In Leiden Journal of International Law 21(3). p.563-580
Abstract
In this article, I apply René Girard's theory of generative violence to the international law relating to the use of force. I argue that texts of international law make gestures of referral towards an immanent normativity on the fettering of divine violence. The means to this end is a form of sacrificial violence that seeks to promote the preservation and cohesion of the ‘international community’. The structuring of this violence through international law and its repeated staging reproduces the relationship of prophecy to miracle. Empirically, I draw mainly on excerpts from the 2006 US National Security Strategy.
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Girard, National Security Strategy, necessity, use of force, pre-emption, gesture, weapons of mass destruction, violence, mänskliga rättigheter, human rights
in
Leiden Journal of International Law
volume
21
issue
3
pages
563 - 580
publisher
CUP
external identifiers
  • scopus:85009578784
ISSN
0922-1565
DOI
10.1017/S0922156508005189
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
763bf2d5-44ab-40f6-9482-8792fcfe7ea7 (old id 1287774)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 12:14:38
date last changed
2022-02-28 21:12:09
@article{763bf2d5-44ab-40f6-9482-8792fcfe7ea7,
  abstract     = {{In this article, I apply René Girard's theory of generative violence to the international law relating to the use of force. I argue that texts of international law make gestures of referral towards an immanent normativity on the fettering of divine violence. The means to this end is a form of sacrificial violence that seeks to promote the preservation and cohesion of the ‘international community’. The structuring of this violence through international law and its repeated staging reproduces the relationship of prophecy to miracle. Empirically, I draw mainly on excerpts from the 2006 US National Security Strategy.}},
  author       = {{Noll, Gregor}},
  issn         = {{0922-1565}},
  keywords     = {{Girard; National Security Strategy; necessity; use of force; pre-emption; gesture; weapons of mass destruction; violence; mänskliga rättigheter; human rights}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{563--580}},
  publisher    = {{CUP}},
  series       = {{Leiden Journal of International Law}},
  title        = {{The miracle of generative violence. René Girard and the use of force in International law}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0922156508005189}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S0922156508005189}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}