Not the ‘Fairest Norm of Them All’ but still needed: on Hobson and criticism of the responsibility to protect

Illingworth, R. (2024) Not the ‘Fairest Norm of Them All’ but still needed: on Hobson and criticism of the responsibility to protect. Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, (doi: 10.1080/17502977.2024.2304457) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) – a commitment to prevent and respond to mass atrocity crimes – has often come under fire. In my contribution to this forum, I wish to respond to some points raised by Christopher Hobson’s interesting article titled The Moral Untouchability of the Responsibility to Protect. In doing so, I offer some thoughts about the direction of scholarship on R2P, arguing that, despite its flaws, abandoning the R2P doctrine would do nothing to help confront the persistent reality of mass atrocity violence.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Illingworth, Dr Richard
• Authors: Illingworth, R.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
• Journal Name: Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1750-2977
• ISSN (Online): 1750-2985
• Published Online: 16 February 2024
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2024 The Author
• First Published: First published in Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding 2024
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License