Civil Disobedience: Protest, Justification and the Law

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Civil disobedience is a form of protest with a special standing with regards to the law that sets it apart from political violence. Such principled law-breaking has been witnessed in recent years over climate change, economic strife, and the treatment of animals. Civil disobedience is examined here in the context of contemporary political activism, in the light of classic accounts by Thoreau, Tolstoy, and Gandhi to call for a broader attitude towards what civil disobedience involves. The question of violence is discussed, arguing that civil disobedience need only be aspirationally non-violent and that although some protests do not clearly constitute law-breaking they may render people liable to arrest. For example, while there may not be violence against persons, there may be property damage, as seen in raids upon animal laboratories. Such forms of militancy raise ethical and legal questions. Arguing for a less restrictive theory of civil disobedience, the book will be a valuable resource for anyone studying social movements and issues of political philosophy, social justice, and global ethics.

Reviews

Civil Disobedience is essential reading on modern protest and its origins. In particular, Tony Milligan critically evaluates with clarity and insight such key contemporary issues as the Occupy Movement, abortion and animal liberation. This is an important book in a vital field that deserves serious attention. -- Kim Stallwood, Animals and Society Institute
The occupy movement serves as a reminder of the important role civil disobedience continues to play in contemporary political society. Tony Milligan's treatment of the complex and constantly evolving concept of civil disobedience is as sophisticated as it is timely. I welcome this contribution to the literature and I look forward to renewed debate on this important issue; including an ongoing discussion about what civil disobedience means for nonhuman animals. -- Siobhan O'Sullivan, Research Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia

Author Bio

Tony Milligan is an Honorary Research Fellow in Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen, UK. He has published in a number of academic and popular journals, including Philosophy, Ratio, the Journal of Applied Ethics, Think and Philosophy Now.