Earthquakes and Wars: The Logic of International Reparations

34 Pages Posted: 30 Jun 2012 Last revised: 20 Oct 2012

See all articles by Gabriella Blum

Gabriella Blum

Harvard Law School

Natalie Lockwood

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Date Written: June 30, 2012

Abstract

International law requires states to compensate victims of war crimes, but not of incidental damage that is lawful under the laws of war. Recently, scholars and advocacy groups have called to expand the duty to repair so as to cover all wartime harm. We inquire into the possible justifications for expanding this duty and test them against a hypothetical expansion of the duty to compensate victims of natural disasters. The effort is ultimately to inquire whether there is something unique about war – as distinct from all other disasters – which demands special consideration.

Keywords: jus post bellum, reparations, natural disasters, transitional justice, war, justice

Suggested Citation

Blum, Gabriella and Lockwood, Natalie, Earthquakes and Wars: The Logic of International Reparations (June 30, 2012). Harvard Public Law Working Paper No. 12-30, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2096811 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2096811

Gabriella Blum (Contact Author)

Harvard Law School ( email )

1575 Massachusetts
Hauser 406
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Natalie Lockwood

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

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