Research article

Carl Schmitt Revisited by the United States and the Terrorist

Article authors
  1. Karolina Mendecka

Carl Schmitt na nowo odczytany przez Stany Zjednoczone i terroryzm

Archiwum Filozofii Prawa i Filozofii Społecznej, nr 1(10)/2015, s. 69-78

Polish

Translated abstract

In the article “Carl Schmitt Revisited by the United States and the Terrorist” it is shown that Carl Schmitt’s morals, standards and views can be noticed in the United States policy in the context of so-called “war on terror”. According to the article, Islamic terrorists are a mirror image of Schmittan revolutionary partisan. It is discussed how terrorists are, as a problem, treated by the USA, which in author’s opinion displays many Schmittan features. Schmitt is one of the few who claim that the sovereign state is above the legal order and can set boundaries. It is therefore shown that the USA seem to have rushed into Schmittan “state of exception”, where norms are suspended in order to achieve security, resembling the thinking of the G.W. Bush administration. It is illustrated how the USA seem to be following Schmitt’s ideology, especially by making exceptions to international rules, but also putting the terrorist outside of the scope of international regulations. Lastly, author tries to answer the question if it is justified to follow Schmitt and obey to the rule of law.

Translated keywords

  • Carl Schmitt
  • wojna z terroryzmem
  • stan wyjątkowy

English

Abstract

In the article “Carl Schmitt Revisited by the United States and the Terrorist” it is shown that Carl Schmitt’s morals, standards and views can be noticed in the United States policy in the context of so-called “war on terror”. According to the article, Islamic terrorists are a mirror image of Schmittan revolutionary partisan. It is discussed how terrorists are, as a problem, treated by the USA, which in author’s opinion displays many Schmittan features. Schmitt is one of the few who claim that the sovereign state is above the legal order and can set boundaries. It is therefore shown that the USA seem to have rushed into Schmittan “state of exception”, where norms are suspended in order to achieve security, resembling the thinking of the G.W. Bush administration. It is illustrated how the USA seem to be following Schmitt’s ideology, especially by making exceptions to international rules, but also putting the terrorist outside of the scope of international regulations. Lastly, author tries to answer the question if it is justified to follow Schmitt and obey to the rule of law.

Keywords

  • Carl Schmitt
  • war on terror
  • state of exception
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References

14 reference entries

References

  1. Fitzpatrick, J. (2003). Speaking Law to Power: The War Against Terrorism and Human Rights. European Journal of International Law 14/2, 241–264.

  2. Fukuyama, F. (2006). After Neoconservatism. The New York Times February 19 2006.

  3. Kochi, T. (2006). The Partisan: Carl Schmitt and Terrorism. Law and Critique 17/3, 267–295.

  4. Muller, J.W. (2006). An Irregularity that Cannot be Regulated: Carl Schmitt’s Theory of the Partisan and the War on Terror. Princeton: Princeton University.

  5. van Munster, R. (2004). The War on Terrorism: When the Exception becomes the Rule. International Journal for the Semiotics of Law 17/2, 141–153.

  6. Odysseos, L., Petito, F. (2007). The International Political Thought of Carl Schmitt. London: Routledge.

  7. Scheuerman, W.E. (2006). Carl Schmitt and the Road to Abu Ghraib. Constellations 13/1, 108–124.

  8. Schickel, J. (1970). Gesprache mit Carl Schmitt. Berlin: Merve.

  9. Schmitt, C. (1985). Political Theology, Four Chapters on the Concept of Sovereignty. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

  10. Schmitt, C. (1989). The Concept of the Political. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

  11. Schmitt, C. (2006). The Nomos of the Earth in the International Law of the Jus Publicum Europeanum. Candor: Telos Press Publishing.

  12. Schmitt, C. (2004). The Theory of the Partisan: A Commentary/Remark on the Concept of the Political. Michigan: Michigan State University Press.

  13. Strossen, N. (2008). American Exceptionalism, the War on Terror, and the Rule of Law in the Islamic World. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 32/2, 495–501.

  14. Werner, W. (2004). Rereading: Theory of the Partisan. Michigan: Michigan State University Press.

Publication information

Issue data

Issue nr 1(10)/2015

Pages
69-78
Published

How to cite

Bibliographic description and verified export formats.

Format AFPiFS

K. Mendecka, Carl Schmitt Revisited by the United States and the Terrorist, „Archiwum Filozofii Prawa i Filozofii Społecznej” nr 1(10)/2015, s. 69–78, DOI: 10.36280/afpifs.2015.1.69