Global Justice Research Articles (Page 1)

ABSTRACT This article examines how the securitization of food production in the European Union (EU) reinforces patriarchal authority and epistemic exclusion. Building on feminist security studies, it analyzes how discourses of ‘food security’ elevate masculinized figures of authority – farmers cast as protectors and providers – while marginalizing alternative knowledges of care, sustainability, and global justice. The study applies frame analysis to debates following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, focusing on two key controversies: proposals to reduce pesticide use under the Farm to Fork strategy and the Nature Restoration Law. The empirical material consists of statements, press releases, and media interventions by Copa-Cogeca, the Federation of Swedish Farmers, and allied politicians in the European Parliament. Agricultural lobby groups framed these initiatives as threats to Europe’s survival, invoking militarized imagery and claiming epistemic authority to ‘shoot down’ environmental regulation in the name of national defence. The paper contributes to feminist debates on epistemic justice by demonstrating how securitization both depoliticizes contested issues and sustains patriarchal and Eurocentric authority over what counts as credible knowledge in food politics.

This article discusses why Israel justified their collective fear, which is caused by the Holocaust, as a foundation in the making of their foreign policy, especially towards Palestine. This article uses the combination of political psychology and realism theory in international relations to analyse how the trauma caused by the Holocaust is validated as existential threat. The collective fear would then be a mean of justification for the repressive action which has a big impact on the people of Palestine, such as area restrictions, blockade, all the way to military violence. This article uses descriptive qualitative research method by conducting discourse analysis and library research through academic writing, literatures regarding Israel’s foreign policy, as well as news articles regarding Israel’s foreign policy. The result of this article shows that even though the fear that is experienced by the people of Israel is caused by a real historical event, using their fear as a mean of justification causes ethical dilemma and challenges towards international law and global justice.

ABSTRACT In recent years, scholars have employed the terms ‘marine justice’, ‘ocean justice,’ ‘oceanic justice,’ or ‘blue justice’ to indicate a distinctly oceanic dimension of global justice. However, at present, the term is used to refer to kindred yet different phenomena. In this article, we distinguish three influential approaches to ocean justice: (1) justice through the sea, (2) justice for the sea, and (3) justice at sea. Discussing these visions of ocean justice through the lens of critiques of colonial modernity, we argue that each still features traces of the logic of mastery. In response, we point to an alternative vision of ocean justice (justice from the sea), which decentres the masterful subject and offers an alternative vocabulary capable of reimagining issues of justice from below.

Abstract Urban biodiversity is known to enhance the quality of life of urban dwellers, but its benefits are not equitably shared by the urban population. The positive correlation between urban biodiversity and socio‐economic status within cities (i.e. the Luxury Effect) can thus be considered a measure of environmental injustice. While common, this relationship is not universal, indicating a need to understand its drivers in an attempt to develop more equitable cities. This includes examining how economic and demographic contexts at larger spatial scales are associated with the Luxury Effect. We conducted a meta‐analysis to understand the extent to which wealth, income inequality, human population size and population density at city and national scales were associated with the strength of the Luxury Effect (the degree of correlation between urban biodiversity and socio‐economic status). Importantly, we considered non‐linear effects of these drivers, which are rarely considered in Luxury Effect studies. There was support for the Luxury Effect, with a positive relationship between biodiversity and socio‐economic status within cities. This relationship was generally stronger in poorer cities and countries. There was no support for an association with income inequality and the strength of the Luxury Effect at either city or national scales. We found support for an association between economic development and the strength of the Luxury Effect. Non‐linear effects were generally more supported than linear effects in that the Luxury Effect was strongest in countries with below average wealth, but was lowest in the poorest and wealthiest countries, and in cities with intermediate human population size. However, to adequately test the generality of these relationships, further research is needed in under‐represented countries, which, according to our findings, are those where levels of environmental injustice are likely greatest. Implications . The results suggest that poorer societies do not have the economic resources to confront the environmental injustice represented by the Luxury Effect. Identifying the drivers of the Luxury Effect, while also accounting for broader social challenges such as green gentrification, is fundamental to addressing environmental injustice and may help to prioritise strategies to reduce disparities in terms of gaining biodiversity benefits in cities globally. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Solidarity has emerged as a vital concept in bioethics. In recent years, the concept of solidarity has transcended domestic boundaries, with its rhetorical power being leveraged across diverse global health contexts. However, despite its prominence in bioethics and its rhetorical use in global health, health solidarity remains largely confined to domestic contexts. This paper fills this gap by exploring the possibility of extending health solidarity on a global level. Rather than pursuing a singular, unitary concept, I propose to conceptualize global health solidarity (GHS) with a multidimensional framework that encompasses four essential modes: prudential, moral, sociopolitical, and institutional. The prudential mode provides a compelling foundation for GHS through self-interested motivations, emphasizing global health interdependence. The moral mode frames GHS as morally right or good, grounded in relational personhood, functioning either as a duty or a virtue. The sociopolitical mode conceptualizes GHS as a politically significant, prosocial phenomenon in pursuing liberation and confronting injustices, enabling project-based collaboration beyond identity boundaries. The institutional mode formalizes GHS through established structures, shaping global bioethics frameworks and health governance systems. Recognizing these diverse sources, contexts, and practices of solidarity, the multidimensional framework offers a comprehensive conceptual map for understanding and operationalizing GHS. It provides both analytical clarity and practical guidance for navigating solidarity-based practices in global health contexts. When compared with established frameworks, such as global health justice, global health governance, global health activism, and global health security, GHS provides distinct added value and deserves a more fundamental place in the current global health discourse.

Of the many public health interventions, vaccination stands as one of the most transformative, responsible for eradicating smallpox, curbing polio, and drastically reducing the global burden of infectious diseases. The journey from laboratory concept to licensed product, however, is a complex, costly, and highly regulated endeavor. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted landscape of vaccine development through intersecting legal and ethical lenses. It delineates the standard multi-stage pathway for vaccine approval, from preclinical research through post-marketing surveillance, and examines the pivotal role of major regulatory agencies like the FDA and EMA in safeguarding efficacy and safety. The analysis is grounded in core ethical principles governing human subject research, including social value, informed consent, and a favorable risk-benefit ratio. Furthermore, the review investigates key legal structures, including vaccine injury compensation programs and the legal authority for mandates, while analyzing persistent tensions between intellectual property rights and equitable global access. Special ethical challenges, such as human infection studies and research in low-resource settings, are also addressed. The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a central case study, stress-testing these established frameworks. The unprecedented acceleration of development, reliance on Emergency Use Authorizations, and the stark emergence of vaccine nationalism highlighted both the remarkable agility of regulatory systems and profound vulnerabilities in global equity and public trust. The conclusion emphasizes that while the system successfully balanced urgency with prudence during the crisis, future preparedness requires strengthened regulatory harmony, robust manufacturing capacity, and more effective strategies to combat misinformation and uphold ethical commitments to global justice.

This investigates the effectiveness of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in achieving global justice, focusing on the critical question of whether the ICC's mechanisms for prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity effectively deter future atrocities and promote accountability. Through qualitative analysis of case studies involving ICC interventions and quantitative assessment of crime incidence before and after ICC involvement, the research finds that while the ICC has made strides in international law enforcement, its deterrent effect remains limited and varies considerably based on contextual factors such as state cooperation and political will. Notably, data indicates a correlation between ICC interventions and a temporary reduction in atrocity crimes in specific regions, suggesting the potential for the ICC to influence global norms surrounding accountability. The significance of these findings extends beyond legal frameworks, as they underscore the ICC's role in shaping a collective responsibility toward human rights and global health by providing a legal basis for accountability that is essential for peace and stability. Furthermore, the study's implications may inform healthcare strategies in post-conflict societies, where establishing the rule of law and addressing past injustices can have profound effects on community health and resilience. Ultimately, this research contributes to the broader discourse on international justice, highlighting the need for strengthening the ICC's mechanisms and increasing global collaboration to enhance its impact on preventing atrocities and fostering sustainable peace.

This review examines Islamic Law and International Law: Peaceful Resolution of Disputes (Oxford University Press, 2020) by Emilia Justyna Powell, a groundbreaking interdisciplinary study that explores how Islamic legal traditions influence the engagement of Muslim-majority states with international dispute resolution mechanisms. Drawing from original empirical data and classical Islamic jurisprudence, Powell argues that domestic legal structures—whether secular, Islamic, or hybrid—significantly shape states' preferences for international conflict resolution methods. The book highlights both the consonance and dissonance between Islamic law and international law, particularly in the context of peaceful settlement. Powell challenges prevailing assumptions of uniformity among Islamic Law States and demonstrates the importance of legal pluralism in international relations. Through critical analysis, this review assesses the strengths of Powell’s approach—her empirical rigor, legal-philosophical insight, and contribution to debates on global justice—while also noting the limitations, including the need for a more nuanced understanding of hybrid legal systems and broader geopolitical factors. Overall, the book is a significant scholarly contribution that bridges comparative law, Islamic studies, and international legal theory, offering valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of legal identity and interstate conflict management.

Criminal staging, the deliberate manipulation of crime scenes to create deceptive narratives, poses significant epistemological and methodological challenges to criminal justice processes. This study analyzes the impact of staging in Russian judicial practices from 2019 to 2024, based on 47 adjudicated cases. Staging is classified into material, ideational, and digital typologies, with 82% of cases exhibiting negative circumstances (e.g., anomalous traces, metadata inconsistencies), leading to erroneous investigative hypotheses in 68% of cases within 48 hours. Notable delays in detection (averaging 17 weeks in 35% of hybrid digital cases) and a 61% reclassification rate through interdisciplinary approaches are observed. A proposed diagnostic algorithm, integrating anomaly detection, alternative hypothesis testing, and AI-enhanced verification, counters cognitive biases. This research frames staging as a multidimensional cognitive disruptor, offering methodological tools—bias-mitigation training and standardized protocols—to enhance evidentiary integrity and investigative resilience, while highlighting the need to address epistemic injustices in global justice systems amid evolving digital threats.

In Reflections on Anthony Annett’s Cathonomics, Augusto Lopez-Claros engages critically and constructively with Annett’s proposal for a more just economy grounded in Catholic social thought. He endorses many of Annett’s policy suggestions — such as social safety nets, progressive taxation, and solidarity-based economic measures — but argues for an even broader framework. Lopez-Claros emphasises the crucial role of gender equality, showing through empirical data how the economic and political empowerment of women enhances financial resilience, reduces corruption, and fosters inclusive growth. He also highlights structural issues like regressive subsidies and poor governance environments as drivers of inequality. Expanding the scope further, Lopez-Claros calls for urgent reform of global governance structures, rooted in both practical necessity and spiritual principles drawn from the Bahá’í Faith, to address the interconnected challenges of inequality, climate change, nuclear threats, and global injustice. The essay concludes by proposing that economics must be reoriented toward the expansion of human capacities and spiritual progress, aligning with both Catholic and Bahá’í visions of the common good.

Health inequalities continue to blight populations creating a global social justice challenge. Despite continued action by policy makers and practitioners, they are recurrent and stubborn, with evidence of exacerbation in many territories. Driven by extractive, capitalist economic and political logics that have organised societies with systemic power imbalances, inequalities are so entrenched they appear ahistorical. Recent global crisis of disease, finance and conflict have intensified challenges, with outcomes worst for those with the least power and resources. Impacts are compounded where inequalities are structural and systemic, for example the result of institutionalised racism, unevenly distributed wealth and employment opportunities, lack of availability of suitable housing and food or limited access to education. Understanding health inequalities as dynamic, the outcome of complex ecologies and interactions as well as their historical antecedents and determinants is vital for public health research and practice. The differential impact of COVID-19 on populations has illuminated this, leading researchers to reframe the pandemic as syndemic. Such analysis is imperative both for immediate crisis response and future health protection planning and strategy. Our discussion highlights how historic and systemic inequalities shape contemporary population health, constructing stubborn barriers to social justice, an effect heightened during times of crisis like the COVID-19 syndemic. What is to be done to ameliorate their impact on the most vulnerable remains a vital question.

Climate change has increased the level of inequality across the world and Pakistan is one of those countries which has been hit the most. The floods in 2025 demonstrated how ineffective governance, limited resources and unfair international systems affect proper adaptation. Through the lenses of post-colonial political economy, this paper explores how power politics, climate finance, and socioeconomic inequality can affect the resiliency efforts in Pakistan. It attracts thoughts to the lack of contact between local reality and international climate pledges by speaking about recent policy reports and assessments. The article concludes by calling for open governance, grassroots-led adaptation, and equitable case sensitive climate funding as the basis for climate resilience in an equitable and sustainable way.

Land systems are the nexus of many global sustainability and justice challenges. Here we present eight guiding principles (P1–8) for improved land system policies following the heuristic stages of a policy cycle. The principles are as follows: embrace recognitional justice (P1), be politically strategic (P2), consider multiple policy goals (P3), address systemic issues (P4), take an integrative scope (P5), foster co-development (P6), adopt clear and monitorable targets (P7) and integrate diagnostic and adaptive capacities (P8). We then explore how well policies align with these principles in two globally relevant cases (land-based climate mitigation and biodiversity-friendly agriculture). In both cases, we find that when policies align poorly with the principles at the agenda-setting stage, there is further misalignment at the policy formulation stage. In the instances when recognitional justice is embraced at the onset, policies subsequently integrate more diverse goals and co-development, but they insufficiently consider political strategy and struggle to handle system complexity. Nonetheless, we identify promising policy mixes that provide benefits to multiple actors, integrate multiple goals, take an integrative scope and have strong monitoring and adaptation, aligning well with multiple principles. Further investigation of these principles could reveal promising policy pathways for land systems.

Abstract Despite a heavy philosophical focus on issues pertaining to immigration, little discussion is taken up that examines the duties we owe to migrant children. This article works to bridge the gap between global justice literature and work on children’s autonomy and well-being. To capture what migrant children experience in the context of immigration and detention, the article examines the conditions on the island country of Nauru, where at least 222 migrant children experienced detention between the years of 2013 and 2019. Using this lived experience as an example, the article argues that we owe children specific positive duties, which are further supported by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Throughout this article, the aim is to indicate how migrant children occupy a particularly vulnerable and nonautonomous status in the context of detention. Because of this, children are owed especially weighty positive duties that are not discussed in the current global justice literature.

When this Special Issue was planned, it was initially intended to solicit contributions from a diverse group of international scholars on various innovative, theoretical, empirical, and policy-focused studies related to inequity and social and environmental justice issues relevant to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [...]

This article showcases how the current global juvenile justice system is an entity that is markedly insufficient. In its current form, the system disregards long standing human rights orders, blatantly ignores differential development within a child’s psyche, and perpetuates the cycles of harm that youth are so often chained to. This analysis argues the urgent need for comprehensive and equitable measures that prioritize the well-being and rights of young individuals entangled in criminal justice systems worldwide. Multiple case studies are introduced to examine the reality of youth justice internationally. Thus, it is uncovered that the current lack of standardization poses a threat to children’s human rights, and as such, inalienability, uniform sanctions, and a turn towards restorative justice are suggested as forming the basis of necessary systems change.

This study explores the intersection of radical otherness and global solidarity, focusing on the LGBTQ+ community’s experiences. By examining the ways in which LGBTQ+ individuals and communities navigate marginalisation, outlawed identities and subaltern positions, we can better understand how global solidarity movements can incorporate and support diverse struggles for justice. Drawing on case studies and theoretical frameworks, this study aims to highlight the interconnectedness of various forms of oppression and the potential for unified resistance across different marginalised groups. Through such examination, the study aims to offer a more nuanced understanding of global solidarity, advocating for the recognition and integration of diverse marginalised voices. This work underscores the importance of continuous dialogue and collaboration among various disenfranchised communities to build a unified resistance against oppression and advance the cause of global justice and equality.

Local culture shapes the ecological ethics of society, but globalization and commodification often erode its symbolic and ecological meaning. The Belis tradition in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, which is rich in spiritual and ecological values, is now undergoing changes due to modernization. The purpose of this study is to analyze the role of eco-pedagogy in preserving the symbolic relationship between humans and nature through the Belis tradition, identify ecological values, the impact of commodification, and formulate education strategies based on local wisdom. Using a qualitative approach with a case study method, data was collected through interviews, participatory observation, and documentation studies. Thematic analysis was conducted to examine human-nature relations, ecological values, and cultural commodification, with triangulation of sources and member checking for data validity. The results of this study show that the Belis tradition is not only a social and cultural practice, but also functions as a medium for ecological education that instills awareness of the sacred relationship between humans, livestock, and nature. However, the commodification of Belis culture, which has turned livestock into mere economic symbols, has threatened the ecological and spiritual values of this tradition. This research contributes to the development of a local wisdom-based education model for maintaining the relationship between humans and nature. Further research should explore the role of the younger generation in preserving the ecological values of the Belis tradition and formulate an applicable eco-pedagogical model in the context of Manggarai education

ABSTRACT: Biotechnology, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals have collectively increased the global need for biological and genetic resources. This underscores the necessity of setting up robust governance systems that ensure fair access and sustainable resource utilisation. This study examines the complex domain of managing biological and genetic resources. It emphasises access, benefit-sharing (ABS), and protective measures within international, regional, and national legislation. This study utilises the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol as foundational elements to examine the interconnections among environmental law, intellectual property rights, and indigenous knowledge systems. The study examines the complex challenges associated with the ownership and management of genetic resources, particularly in impoverished nations rich in biodiversity. This examines how contemporary legal systems either uphold or undermine the rights of local and indigenous populations, whose traditional knowledge is often essential for the identification and use of these resources. There is considerable discourse around the perils of biopiracy and the appropriation of genetic material, alongside the necessity for transparent, fair, and legally enforceable Access and Benefit-Sharing agreements. The study evaluates the efficacy of the selected authority and the existing protection mechanism. We analyse the function of intellectual property rights, particularly patent systems, and plant variety protection, and assess their compatibility with biodiversity preservation and fair benefit-sharing. The paper examines the increasing significance of digital sequencing data for genetic resources and its complicating effect on the application of established regulations. This paper advocates for a governance model that is more interconnected, inclusive, and equitable, aiming to integrate domestic policies with international obligations while respecting the rights and contributions of indigenous peoples. It ensures compliance with regulations, safeguards biodiversity, and promotes equitable sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources through the establishment of new laws and policies. In conclusion, the study contributes to the broader dialogue on global equality, environmental justice, and sustainable development by elucidating the legal and ethical frameworks for the use and conservation of biological and genetic resources.

Climate-driven Arctic ice melt is opening the Arctic Sea Route (ASR), providing shorter paths for global trade while also raising critical environmental concerns. Here, we quantify the long-term carbon consequences of ASR access using a trade-integrated shipping emissions projection (TISEP) model that integrates trade scenarios, vessel routing, and climate policy pathways. Our results indicate that ASR use will increase global shipping emissions by 8.2% by 2100, with Arctic emissions rising from 0.22% to 2.72%. At the same time, environmental disparities in exposure to emissions will increase since Northeast Asia, Northern Europe, and North America will experience particularly large increases in emissions due to rerouted shipping flows. We evaluate three mitigation strategies and find that two ongoing strategies, the 2023 IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships and the Green Corridor strategy, are insufficient to achieve emission targets in the Arctic, but a net-zero strategy featuring stricter fuel standards and regionally phased rollout could fully eliminate ASR-related emissions. These findings highlight the urgent need for more prospective actions to reduce shipping emissions, protect the Arctic environment, and advance global environmental justice as Arctic navigability increases.