Monday, November 18, 2013

Islamic Philosophy in Just War Theory and International Law

Whatever Happened to the Faith of Peace?

By Patrick M. Domery
Patrick Domery is a 2013 graduate of Albany Law School. He is currently an Excelsior Fellow at the Higher Education Services Corporation.  Writing this paper was an educational experience for Patrick who, despite having studied philosophy as an undergraduate, had relatively little exposure to Islamic philosophy.  Patrick built upon previous work on just war in the West to learn about Islamic philosophy and draw parallels and distinctions from Christian and Greek traditions. 
Patrick's essay, "The Just War Philosophy," was previously published on ILS.
This paper was prepared for the International Law of War & Crime Seminar, Fall 2012.


In the United States, the Islamic world is often portrayed negatively in the media and popular culture as a region of terror and bloodshed. Contrast this with the repeated claim that Islam is a faith of peace.

By looking at the philosophical underpinnings of Western just war theory and Islamic philosophy, this paper attempts to show the major similarities and differences between the two. Ultimately, this paper attempts to determine whether Islamic philosophy is compatible with the current system of international law.
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To read the paper, open HERE.