Discounting Life: Necropolitical Law, Culture, and the Long War on Terror

The US state's extrajudicial, extraterritorial killings of War on Terror adversaries are celebrated as the realization of justice, while images, narrative, and affect do the work of law, authorizing and legitimizing the discounting of some lives so that others may live. This book explores the workings of necropolitical law and interrogates the US state's justifications for the project of counterterror, illuminating the profound continuities and many guises for racialized, imperial violence informing the contemporary discounting of life.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 03 November 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The United States' practice of extrajudicial, extraterritorial killings of War on Terror adversaries has become an alarming norm. Not only are targeted individuals being targeted, but countless unnamed and uncounted others are also being maimed and killed in this relentless campaign. Despite the absence of conventional legal frameworks, processes, and actors, the US state proudly celebrates these killings as the realization of justice.

In a surprising twist, images, narratives, and affects take on the role of law, authorizing and legitimizing the devaluation of certain lives in order to safeguard the lives of American nationals. This complex interplay raises profound questions about the relationship between law and the valuation of life in the context of an unending, globalized war.

To unravel the workings of necropolitical law and challenge the US state's justifications for the counterterror project, this book adopts an interdisciplinary approach. Spanning the long War on Terror, it illuminates the profound continuities and diverse manifestations of racialized, imperial violence that underlie the contemporary discounting of life.

Through a comprehensive analysis of legal, historical, and social dimensions, this book sheds light on the ways in which law is used to justify acts of violence and oppression. It challenges the notion that law is a neutral or objective tool, revealing its embeddedness in power structures and ideologies.

The book also explores the ethical and moral implications of these practices, raising questions about the responsibility of individuals, governments, and international organizations in upholding human rights and promoting justice. It calls for a re-examination of legal frameworks and policies to ensure that they align with the values of dignity, equality, and respect for all life.

In conclusion, this book offers a critical examination of the relationship between law and the valuing of life in the context of the War on Terror. It highlights the need for a more nuanced and ethical approach to counterterrorism that prioritizes human rights, justice, and the protection of all lives.

Weight: 552g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009074650