Peace and justice has been a preferred couple in theoretical writings; The connection between peace and justice has been a subject of political philosophy and theory from the early days on. Justice has been given pride of place as the ultimate normative objective of political action. At the same time its influence on the chances for peace has been at the center of political thinking as well, notably also in religious writings. But what do we know about their empirical relationship? Will it pay off to deepen research into this relationship at all?
Insights from other disciplines should serve as a mighty incentive in a field like international relations which has always looked intensely at other faculties for stimulus: Neuroscientists have located the parts of the brain responsible for averse reactions against violation of claims for justice. Evolutionary biologists have identified rules of distribution and retribution not only in early human societies but among other socially living species as well. Psychologists have watched the emergence of a sense of justice in very early childhood, while behavioral economists have identified behavior of average persons in experiments that deviated significantly from the model of “economic man” and could only be explained by a sense of justice.
The latest Working Paper No. 30 “Justice in Interdisciplinary Perspective. Findings From Other Disciplines and Their Impact on International Relations” by Harald Müller discusses these findings and what we should take from them for our own work on interstate and intrastate war and peace.
This PRIF Working Paper is available as a free download.