International law as shibboleth: the continued appeal of heroic narratives in support of military intervention

Lynsey Mitchell

doi:10.1093/lril/lrad019

International law as shibboleth: the continued appeal of heroic narratives in support of military intervention

Lynsey Mitchell

Law

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Political debates on the use of force draw on Manichean narratives which are legitimated by legalistic language. Overreliance on such narratives devalues international law as a safeguard against the illegal use of force, silences criticism that militarism is not the solution to international crises, and blurs legal and non-legal justifications for intervention.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	481-510
Number of pages	30
Journal	London Review of International Law
Volume	11
Issue number	3
Early online date	8 Dec 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/lril/lrad019
Publication status	Published - 8 Dec 2023

Keywords

international law
shibboleth
rhetoric
heroic narrative tropes
UK parliament
debate

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1093/lril/lrad019Licence: CC BY 4.0

Mitchell-LRIL-2023-International-law-as-shibbolethFinal published version, 478 KBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Cite this

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KW - UK parliament

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International law as shibboleth: the continued appeal of heroic narratives in support of military intervention

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Weaponising human rights through empty rhetoric and imperialist narratives: British discourse on reproductive rights and gender equality

Parliaments and Securities Workshop

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International law as shibboleth: the continued appeal of heroic narratives in support of military intervention

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Research output

Weaponising human rights through empty rhetoric and imperialist narratives: British discourse on reproductive rights and gender equality

Activities

Parliaments and Securities Workshop

Cite this