KJuris: Weapons in Asymmetrical Warfare with Prof Alejandro Chehtman

The Yeoh Tiong Lay Centre for Politics, Philosophy and Law is delighted to host Prof Alejandro Chehtman for the 2025/26 KJuris programme.

Title

Weapons in Asymmetrical Warfare

Abstract

Contemporary asymmetrical conflicts are characterized by new actors, specific tactics, and new weaponry. This paper examines how different features and capabilities of new weapons systems impact the permissibility of attacks in armed conflict. I discuss three new weapons systems that are prominent in asymmetrical conflicts, namely, remotely piloted aircrafts, often known as drones, cyber weapons, and non-lethal weapons. Each of these weapons systems has been recently advocated on the grounds that they expand permissible attacks. The reason for this, it is claimed, is that they are more discriminatory than conventional weapons systems (drones), they significantly reduce fatal wounds (non-lethal weapons), or because harm is ultimately inflicted by the targeted population itself, rather than by the attacker (cyber weapons). This paper argues that even if the empirical premise in each of these cases is correct these weapons systems do not ultimately expand permissible operations in armed conflict. The reason for this is that in each of these cases there are decisive countervailing considerations which ultimately override the advantages each of them admittedly provides. Drones are more discriminatory but hardly effective in containing insurgent groups. Non-lethal weapons are less harmful, but more likely to be used unnecessarily. And cyber attacks may cause harm only indirectly, but it is difficult to claim that such harm is not ultimately attributable to those launching them. On these grounds this paper argues that it is simply not true that any of these weapons systems meaningfully expands the scope of permissible action in war.

Speaker Bio

Alejandro Chehtman is Dean and Professor of Law at Torcuato Di Tella Law School, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He teaches and writes in the field of Public International Law, International Criminal Law, International Humanitarian Law, Transitional Justice and Constitutional Law, with special interest in philosophical and empirical issues. Alejandro is the author of The Philosophical Foundations of Extraterritorial Punishment, and co-editor of Latin American International Law in the 21st Century (with Sergio Puig and Alexandra Huneeus), both published by Oxford University Press. He has published in leading journals including the European Journal of International Law, Harvard International Law Journal, Law & Philosophy, Legal Theory, Criminal Law & Philosophy, the Journal of International Criminal Justice, and Utilitas, among many others. He is currently working on a monograph on a Theory of Asymmetrical Warfare, forthcoming with Oxford University Press.

Date

Wednesday 4 February 2026

Location

Ante Room (SW1.17), Somerset House East Wing, Strand Campus, King's College London

Time

17:00-19:00