What is Humanitarian Intervention?

In this module, we think about the origins and definition of humanitarian intervention, focusing on: (i) why it is both politically important and controversial – it has been invoked many times to justify military action, but there are doubts around its legitimacy and effectiveness; (ii) its basis in just war theory and the emergence of international human rights law after the World Wars; (iii) its increased importance following the end of the Cold War and the factors behind this, such as US hegemony in international politics and the growth of a global civil society committed to human rights; (iv) how it differs from other, similar types of action, such as humanitarian aid, UN peacekeeping, and conventional warfare; (v) Dr Hehir’s composite definition, which identifies several agreed-upon features of humanitarian intervention, for example it must involve the deployment of military force and include humanitarian concern as part of its justification.

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