Annual Conference 2025: Just war theory – relevant or relic?
Venue: Army War and Leadership School, Madrid, Spain
Date: 21-23 May 2025
Important links
- Download the Program (PDF provisional version)
- Download the Info package (PDF)
- Registration is closed - in emergencies contact
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EuroISME’s 14th annual conference will take place in Madrid, on 21-23 May 2025. We will be the guest of the Escuela de Guerra y Liderazgo del Ejército de Tierra – the Army War and Leadership School. The topic of the conference will be: ‘Just war theory – relevant or relic?’
Is Just War Doctrine keeping pace with the changing character of war?
Download the Program as PDF (provisional version)
Until recently, this question would have seemed strange to many scholars of military ethics. For centuries, Just War Doctrine has been so pervasive that it was, for many students, academics, and the military, simply the ethical framework in which they operated. However, as modern conflicts become more complex, the question arises whether Just War Doctrine alone is sufficient to provide ethical guidance for soldiers in today’s world.
Expanding the Discourse: Just War in Contemporary Conflicts
While Just War Doctrine continues to serve as a key ethical framework, the nature of conflicts is evolving. Wars like the ‘narco war’ in Mexico or the rebellious situation in Yemen often fall outside the classical definitions of warfare, while more regular types of warfare, like the Russo-Ukrainian war take on a new dimension given the emphasis on drones. New forms of conflict, such as cyberattacks, hybrid warfare, and the use of autonomous weapons systems, challenge the traditional categories of Just War Doctrine. This raises the question of how these emerging conflicts fit into the framework of Just War and whether new ethical models are required to address the changing face of warfare.
New Forms of Warfare: Cyber, Hybrid, and Autonomous Systems
Modern warfare is increasingly taking forms that do not align with traditional notions of armed conflict. Cyberattacks, hybrid warfare, and the use of drones or autonomous systems raise ethical questions that challenge the Just War Doctrine. One of the key focuses of this conference will be how Just War Doctrine can be applied to these new forms of conflict and whether there is a need for new ethical frameworks to guide military actions in these domains.
Practical Relevance: Concepts for Training and Operations
A central aim of this conference is not only to engage in theoretical discussions but also to generate practical outcomes that can be integrated into the training and operational routines of soldiers. We aim to develop concrete guidelines and concepts that will help soldiers make ethical decisions in complex and dynamic environments. This includes exploring how ethical dilemmas can be resolved in real-time and how ethical principles can be operationalized during military operations.
Media and Narratives: The Ethics of War Perception
In today’s world, mainstream and social media play a decisive role in shaping perceptions of war. It is essential to examine how the justice of a war and the conduct of its operations are perceived by the public. To what extent can the battle for narratives enhance or distort the perception that a war is just and fought justly? What responsibility do military and political actors have in shaping and communicating these narratives? These are not only theoretical questions but also vital for the practice of warfare.
Following the results of the participant’s evaluation of last year’s conference in Tallinn, we aim to make this conference more topical. In other words, submissions which relate not only to the conference programme but also to developments which hit today’s newspapers will be particularly welcomed.
Interactive Formats: From Theory to Practice
Following the results of the participant’s evaluation of the Tallinn conference, we aim to make this conference more interactive, providing more space for discussion and practical reflection. For instance, a submission does not necessarily have to be a paper – it can also be a war game the participants can engage in, a card board game that can be played, or a video which has been produced, or a format for a round table discussion. Authors are encouraged to seek more creative ways to use their time-slot, rather than merely reading from a paper; if you wish to present your thoughts in such an ‘alternative’ way, then please contact the Programme Committee – through Ms. Ivana Gošić – at your early convenience, so that we can take account of your wishes.
Moderated discussions will allow participants to explore the practical applicability of theoretical concepts and consider how they can be integrated into the daily routines and training of soldiers. Participants will be encouraged not only to present theoretical papers but also to contribute to practice-oriented discussions. In contrast to previous years, time-slots for speakers will be limited to 15 minutes (in lieu of the usual 20 minutes) in order to allow, during panel sessions, more time for the Q&A.
Also as a result of the evaluations mentioned, the Programme Committee may contact you during the months ahead of the Madrid conference, if we feel that two or more participants plan to present on (virtually) the same topic – in which case we will encourage you to contact each other in advance. In this way, we hope to improve the quality of the exchange of views during the conference as such.
Invitation to Participate
We hope that the expanded scope and practice-oriented focus of this conference will encourage both academics and practitioners to engage in this important debate. The goal is to explore ethical principles that are crucial for contemporary and future warfare, ensuring their practical relevance and applicability.
We invite you to join us in Madrid and participate in a discussion that holds significance for both scholars and practitioners alike.
Registration
- Registration is closed - in emergencies contact
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Assistance with travel costs
EuroISME has a limited budget available for prospective presenters at our conference, who cannot attend for financial reasons. Details concerning the application for financial assistance can be found here https://euroisme.eu/images/Documents/EuroISME_Criteria_funding_travelcosts.pdf. Applicants shall bear in mind that all applications must be made before the deadline for submissions expires: 1 February 2025. Applicants will be informed of the decision by EuroISME whether the application has been accepted.
Visa
Spain is a member of the Schengen Area. Conference participants from outside the Schengen Area who need a formal invitation from EuroISME in order to apply for a visa, are advised to contact Ms. Ivana Gošić bilaterally. Participants requiring a visa are strongly advised to ask for a formal invitation from EuroISME no later than eight weeks in advance and to start their visa application earlier if possible. If your visa application runs into trouble, then please contact us without delay, so that we can assess whether we can help. Participants travelling from Russia should contact Ms. Ivana Gošić as soon as possible, certainly more than eight weeks in advance.
Information package and joining instructions
- Download the Info package (PDF)