Cosmopolitism, Global Justice and International Law

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War and Punitivity under Anarchy

The individualization of punishment is a key element in liberal narratives about international law and international relations. By now, this narrative has become integral part of positive international law, especially the regimes governing the use of force and the prosecution of international crimes. Rather than punishing states or entire societies, liberals claim, punishment has become restricted to those who incurred individual guilt. To liberals, the individualization of punishment is part of a larger process of enlightenment and civilizations that has helped to fence atavisms like revenge. In this paper, we do not question the emergence of an ever more sophisticated system of individual punishment in international law. However, we argue that punitivity has been more difficult to fully channel towards individuals and away from collectives than claimed. To be sure, punitive language has by and large been banned from the laws of armed conflict. We argue, however, that the absence of a punitive vocabulary does not equal the absence of punitivity. In contrast, current state practices of using armed force are still imbued with punitivity, however silenced in the current legal framework and thus pushed underground. Realizing the presence of a punitive undercurrent, we argue, adds to a more comprehensive understanding of contemporary state practices

The Triple Symbiotic System CH Cygni

Analysis of high-resolution IR spectra of CH Cygni shows that the star is a triple system with a short period orbit of just over 2 yrs. The period ratio of seven for CH Cyg is the smallest known for a triple system. The symbiotic pair is the short-period system. An eccentric and a circular orbit solution are determined for the short-period pair, and the circular orbit solution is found to be more appropriate. The observed eccentricity appears to be due to phase-dependent line asymmetries resulting from the irradiation of the M giant by the white dwarf. The system does not eclipse. The most consistent mode of the system is a short-period pair consisting of an M6 giant of two solar masses that is within a factor of two of filling its Roche lobe and a white dwarf of 0.2 solar mass. The orbital inclination is about 70 deg. The unseen third star in the system is probably a G-K dwarf