Giorgio Agamben and the Current State of Affairs in Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Policy

German Law Journal

Volumn 6, Issue 5, 2005, Pages 845-860

  Heins, Volker ^a  

^a Institute for Social Research   (Germany)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 33845245748     PISSN: None     EISSN: 20718322     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S2071832200013985     Document Type: Article

References (55)

1. See, e.g., J. RANCIÈRE, DISAGREEMENT: POLITICS AND PHILOSOPHY (1999); Z. Bauman, From Bystander to Actor, 2 JOURNAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS 137-51 (2003).
2. See, e.g., J. RANCIÈRE, DISAGREEMENT: POLITICS AND PHILOSOPHY (1999); Z. Bauman, From Bystander to Actor, 2 JOURNAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS 137-51 (2003).
3. See G. AGAMBEN, HOMO SACER: SOVEREIGN POWER AND BARE LIFE (1998).
4. See G. Agamben, Bodies Without Words: Against the Biopolitical Tatoo, 5 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 168 (2004).
5. See M.S. Davis, That's Interesting!, 1 PHILOSOPHY OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES 309-44 (1971) (discussing why some texts are perceived as more interesting than others).
6. See M. Foucault, Histoire de la sexualité, vol. 1: LA VOLONTE DE SAVOIR (Paris: Gallimard, 1976).
7. See, e.g., S. Millns, Death, Dignity and Discrimination: The Case of Pretty v. United Kingdom, 3 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL No. 10 (2002); K.S. Ziegler, CRIMINAL VICTIMS/WITNESSES OF CRIMES: THE CRIMINAL OFFENCES OF SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING OF HUMAN BEINGS IN GERMANY, DISCRETIONARY RESIDENCE RIGHTS, AND OTHER WAYS OF PROTECTING VICTIMS, 6 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 605 (2005); A. Fischer-Lescano, Torture in Abu Ghraib. The Compliant against Donald Rumsfeld under the German Code against Crimes under International Law, 6 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 689 (2005).
8. See, e.g., S. Millns, Death, Dignity and Discrimination: The Case of Pretty v. United Kingdom, 3 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL No. 10 (2002); K.S. Ziegler, CRIMINAL VICTIMS/WITNESSES OF CRIMES: THE CRIMINAL OFFENCES OF SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING OF HUMAN BEINGS IN GERMANY, DISCRETIONARY RESIDENCE RIGHTS, AND OTHER WAYS OF PROTECTING VICTIMS, 6 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 605 (2005); A. Fischer-Lescano, Torture in Abu Ghraib. The Compliant against Donald Rumsfeld under the German Code against Crimes under International Law, 6 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 689 (2005).
9. See, e.g., S. Millns, Death, Dignity and Discrimination: The Case of Pretty v. United Kingdom, 3 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL No. 10 (2002); K.S. Ziegler, CRIMINAL VICTIMS/WITNESSES OF CRIMES: THE CRIMINAL OFFENCES OF SMUGGLING AND TRAFFICKING OF HUMAN BEINGS IN GERMANY, DISCRETIONARY RESIDENCE RIGHTS, AND OTHER WAYS OF PROTECTING VICTIMS, 6 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 605 (2005); A. Fischer-Lescano, Torture in Abu Ghraib. The Compliant against Donald Rumsfeld under the German Code against Crimes under International Law, 6 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 689 (2005).
10. H. ARENDT, THE ORIGINS OF TOTALITARIANISM 289 (1951).
11. See T. Koji, Emerging Hierarchy in International Human Rights and Beyond: From the Perspective of Non-derogable Rights, 12 EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW 917 (2001).
12. See the judgment on the Varvarin Case, District Court of Bonn (1 O 361/02), December 10, 2003, avail-able at: http://www.justiz.nrw.de/RB/nrwe/lgs/bonn/lg-bonn/j2003/1-O-361-02urteil20031210.html. See also Banković and Others v. Belgium and 16 Other Contracting States ((dec.) [GC], no. 52207/99, ECHR 2001-XII) concerning the bombing of the Radio Televizije Srbije (Radio-Television Serbia) head-quarters in Belgrade on 23 April 1999 as part of NATO's campaign of air strikes against the FRY during the Kosovo conflict.
13. See the judgment on the Varvarin Case, District Court of Bonn (1 O 361/02), December 10, 2003, avail-able at: http://www.justiz.nrw.de/RB/nrwe/lgs/bonn/lg-bonn/j2003/1-O-361-02urteil20031210.html. See also Banković and Others v. Belgium and 16 Other Contracting States ((dec.) [GC], no. 52207/99, ECHR 2001-XII) concerning the bombing of the Radio Televizije Srbije (Radio-Television Serbia) head-quarters in Belgrade on 23 April 1999 as part of NATO's campaign of air strikes against the FRY during the Kosovo conflict.
14. See the ruling of the Second Senate of the German Constitutional Court, Oct 14, 2004 (2 BvR 1481/04).
15. 28 U.S.C. Sect. 1350 (ATCA). See G.C. HUFBAUER AND N.K. MITROKOSTAS, AWAKENING MONSTER: THE ALIEN TORT STATUTE OF 1789 (2003); C. Forcese, ATCA's Achilles Heel: Corporate Complicity, International Law and the Alien Tort Claims Act, 26 YALE JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW 487 (2001).
16. 28 U.S.C. Sect. 1350 (ATCA). See G.C. HUFBAUER AND N.K. MITROKOSTAS, AWAKENING MONSTER: THE ALIEN TORT STATUTE OF 1789 (2003); C. Forcese, ATCA's Achilles Heel: Corporate Complicity, International Law and the Alien Tort Claims Act, 26 YALE JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW 487 (2001).
17. Filartiga v. Pena-Irala, 630 F.2d 876 (2d Cir. 1980), 30 June 1980, at 890.
18. See B. STEPHENS AND M. RATNER, INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LITIGATION IN U.S. COURTS (1996); B. Van Schaack, In Defense of Civil Redress: The Domestic Enforcement of Human Rights Norms in the Context of the Proposed Hague Judgements Convention, 42 HARVARD INTERNATIONAL LAW JOURNAL 141-200 (2001).
19. See B. STEPHENS AND M. RATNER, INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LITIGATION IN U.S. COURTS (1996); B. Van Schaack, In Defense of Civil Redress: The Domestic Enforcement of Human Rights Norms in the Context of the Proposed Hague Judgements Convention, 42 HARVARD INTERNATIONAL LAW JOURNAL 141-200 (2001).
20. See Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, 124 S.Ct. 2739 (2004) and the case note discussing this landmark decision: (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/29june20041115/www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/03pdf/03-339.pdf). See also L. Greenhouse, Human Rights Abuses Worldwide Are Held to Fall Under U.S. Courts, NEW YORK TIMES, June 30, 2004, at 21.
21. See Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, 124 S.Ct. 2739 (2004) and the case note discussing this landmark decision: (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/29june20041115/www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/03pdf/03-339.pdf). See also L. Greenhouse, Human Rights Abuses Worldwide Are Held to Fall Under U.S. Courts, NEW YORK TIMES, June 30, 2004, at 21.
22. See the Racial Equality and Employment Equality Directives of the EU Council (2000/43/EC, 29 June 2000 and 2000/78/EC, 27 November 2000).
23. See A. Wax, Expressive Law and Oppressive Norms, 86 VIRGINIA LAW REVIEW 1731-80 (2000).
24. N. Luhmann, Ethik in internationalen Beziehungen, 50 SOZIALE WELT 247-54 (1999).
25. See D.C. Thomas, Boomerangs and Superpowers: International Norms, Transnational Networks and US Foreign Policy, 15 CAMBRIDGE REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 25-44 (2002).
26. See C.F. Hillemanns, UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with regard to Human Rights, 4 GERMAN LAW JOURNAL 1065 (2003).
27. M. BUSSE, DEMOCRACY AND FDI (HWWA Discussion Paper Nr. 220/2003), available at: http://www.hwwa.de/hwwa.html.
28. See N.J. WHEELER, SAVING STRANGERS: HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION IN INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY (2000).
29. M. IGNATIEFF, HUMAN RIGHTS AS POLITICS AND IDOLATRY 22 (2001).
30. It should be noted, however, that recent documents of the Vatican, in particular, contain numerous positive references both to the idea of universal human rights and to specific human rights treaties. See, e.g., JOHN PAUL II, SOLLICITUDO REI SOCIALIS (December 30, 1987), available at: http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0223/-INDEX.HTM.
31. See V. HEINS, HOW TO MEET THE FIRST PUBLIC OBLIGATION: CONTENDING DISCOURSES IN HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS 32-38 (Harvard University, Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, Working Paper 2004), available at: http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/cchrp/news-wpapers.shtml.
32. See C. SEIPLE, THE U.S. MILITARY/NGO RELATIONSHIP IN HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS 53 (1996); HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES AND INTERVENTION 67-68 (T.G. Weiss and C. Collins eds., 2nd ed 2000).
33. See C. SEIPLE, THE U.S. MILITARY/NGO RELATIONSHIP IN HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTIONS 53 (1996); HUMANITARIAN CHALLENGES AND INTERVENTION 67-68 (T.G. Weiss and C. Collins eds., 2nd ed 2000).
34. THE NEW HUMANITARIANISMS: A REVIEW OF TRENDS IN GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN ACTION. (J. Macrae ed., HPG Report 11, April 2002), available at: http://www.odi.org.uk/hpg/papers/hpgreport11.pdf.
35. See S. KADELBACH, ZWINGENDES VÖLKERRECHT (1992).
36. Here I am drawing on interviews with anonymous sources. The investigation unit of the ad hoc tribu-nal in Sierra Leone does everything not to "jeopardize [its] future cooperation" with humanitarian or-ganizations (personal communication from the Chief Prosecutor's office in Freetown, Sierra Leone, April 22, 2004). See G. Rona, The ICRC Privilege Not to Testify: Confidentiality in Action, INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF THE RED CROSS No. 845, 207-19 (2002).
37. D. KENNEDY, THE DARK SIDE OF VIRTUE: REASSESSING INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIANISM 338 (2004).
38. H.H. Koh, Review Essay: Why Do Nations Obey International Law?, 106 YALE LAW JOURNAL 2599 (1997).
39. For a classic explication of the norm of neutrality, see H. Haug, Neutrality as a fundamental principle of the Red Cross, INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF THE RED CROSS No. 315, 627-30 (1996).
40. C. SCHMITT, DIE DIKTATUR. VON DEN ANFÄNGEN DES MODERNEN SOUVERÄNITÄTSGEDANKENS BIS ZUM PROLETARISCHEN KLASSENKAMPF 175 (4th ed. 1978).
41. See T. FARRELL, THE NORMS OF WAR: CULTURAL BELIEFS AND MODERN CONFLICT (2005).
42. See the conclusion in J.-C. FAVEZ, THE RED CROSS AND THE HOLOCAUST (1999).
43. See C. SCHMITT, DER BEGRIFF DES POLITISCHEN. TEXT VON 1932 MIT EINEM VORWORT UND DREI COROLLARIEN 39 (1963).
44. See B. KOUCHNER, CE QUE JE CROIS 107-8 (1995).
45. See E. Stover, W.D. Haglund and M. Samuels, Exhumation of Mass Graves in Iraq: Considerations for Forencic Investigations, Humanitarian Needs, and the Demands of Justice, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION No. 290, 663-6 (2003).
46. Consider the case of the devastating suicide bomb attack against the Red Cross headquarters in Bagh-dad on October 27, 2003. See K. Anderson, Humanitarian Inviolability in Crisis: The Meaning of Impartiality and Neutrality for U.N. and NGO Agencies Following the 2003-2004 Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts, 17 HARVARD HUMAN RIGHTS JOURNAL 41-74 (2004).
47. See, e.g., Germany: Schily criticises Cap Anamur over immigrant affair, ANSA ENGLISH MEDIA SERVICE, July 15, 2004, at 1.
48. See P. Mesnard, The Political Philosophy of Giorgio Agamben: A Critical Evaluation, 5 TOTALITARIAN MOVEMENTS AND POLITICAL RELIGIONS 139-157 (2004).
49. See Terms of Engagement: Conditions and Conditionality in Humanitarian Action (N. Leader and J. Macrae eds., HPG Report 6/2000), available at: http://www.odi.org.uk/hpg.
50. See S.K. LISCHER, DANGEROUS SANCTUARIES: REFUGEE CAMPS, CIVIL WAR, AND THE DILEMMAS OF HUMANITARIAN AID (2005).
51. See D. Warner, The Politics of the Political/Humanitarian Divide, INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF THE RED CROSS No. 833, 109-18 (1999).
52. See M. Koskenniemi, The Effect of Rights on Political Culture, in THE EU AND HUMAN RIGHTS 99-116 (P. Alston ed., 1999).
53. See S. Giry, A Losing Strategy on War Crimes, INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, February 12-13, 2005, at 6.
54. O.A. Hathaway, Do Human Rights Treaties Make a Difference?, 111 YALE LAW JOURNAL 1935 (2002).
55. Th.W. Adorno, Über Mitbestimmung, Regelverstöße und Verwandtes. Diskussion im Rahmen einer Vorlesung am 5.12.1967, in VI FRANKFURTER ADORNO BLÄTTER 155, 167 (2000).