Report
In Between Digital War and Peace
In this article, Jasmijn Boeken, explores in which ways the defining characteristics of the different zones can be found in the digital sphere.
- Author
- Jasmijn Boeken
- Date
- 22 October 2024
- Links
- Read the full article here
This article explores whether cyberspace should be considered a zone of war, a zone of peace, or an intermediary zone. Boeken draws an important distinction between the digital sphere and the physical sphere. The central question addressed in this article is whether Michael Walzer's Just War Theory is equipped to address the emerging phenomenon of cyberwarfare. Boeken notes that, in most Western nations, the conditions of a peace zone are met in the physical sphere but not equally well in the digital sphere.
The article concludes that the digital sphere should largely be regarded as an intermediary zone, complicated by the presence of very unclear boundaries. Although Walzer’s theory provides valuable insights when applied to the digital sphere, challenges remain, highlighting the need for further research to adapt just war principles to the digital realm.