Abstract
This paper provides a theoretical framework for the study of punishment beyond the nation-state. It maps the main debates on punishment in various disciplines, including sociology, criminology, psychology, political science/international relations, history, and international law. Furthermore, it introduces basic concepts such as punishment, revenge, retribution, and restorative justice, and outlines the main penal philosophies and approaches to punishment. Special attention is given to whether and how international security has thus far been addressed in the various disciplines. The paper highlights the value-added of studying international politics through an inter-disciplinary lens of punishment. This value-added is threefold: punitive practices in international society tell us about the international normative order, i.e. the core values and norms of international society; punitive practices tell us about the (shifting) power structures and (changing) sites of authority in international society; and the penal philosophies tell us about the potential for conflict and cooperation in international society.
Panel: Norm Violation, Sanctions, and the Punitive Use of Force