Groundbreaking exploration of the philosophy underpinning Western humanitarian and military intervention.
Subtitled, "Scenes Of Humanitarian Violence From Arendt To Gaza".
“Eyal Weizman’s work has become an indispensable source of both insight and guidance in these difficult times. He understands the evolving dynamics of war and sovereignty better than anyone.”
—Paul Gilroy, Professor of Social History, London School of Economics“This is a wonderful book, written with clarity, precision, and passion. It takes the reader into the heart of contemporary necro-politics and calculations of ‘lesser evils’ by powerful states and their humanitarian accomplices. Deeply learned and informative on every page, this is essential reading for anyone who cares about contemporary conditions of warfare and state-controlled violence; about the spatial practices that reinforce and regulate systemic forms of violence, such as the calculation of minimal requirements for human survival. In the spirit of Doctors Without Borders, Weizman is an architect without borders, at home in political philosophy, military history, just war theory, and the spatial systems of controlled, calculated violence that constitute Israel–Palestine, and much of the world today.”
—W. J. T. Mitchell, Professor of English and Art History, University of Chicago“Originality, ingenuity, and brilliance do not even begin to do justice to this amazing study, this architectural forensics of battle and human rights as pieced together from the study of the ruin and the terrifying logic of ‘the lesser evil.’ How astonishing to see our new world this new way.”
—Michael Taussig, Professor of Anthropology, Columbia University“Weizman continues to offer daring social and political commentary, questioning taken-for-granted structures and processes that perpetuate oppression and violence.”
—Legacy Russell, BOMB Magazine