ABSTRACT
The idea of justice is many things. The idea is represented in countless paintings and sculptures of Lady Justice. Justice is supposed to be impartial, enforceable, and morally praiseworthy. This chapter argues that justice is at the crossroads of two key aspects of international ethics: the constitution and critique of politics. By "constitution," it refers to the persistent role of ideas about justice in reasoning about moral agency, choice, and outcomes across intersocietal boundaries. The concept of "critique" points to the practice of standing apart from hegemonic political assumptions and rules, and evaluating them from a standpoint of justice. Rather than treat justice as a single, substantive, and fixed essence, the ensuing discussion highlights the shifting, intersubjectively shared (and contested) senses of what is due to others, particularly among individuals, groups, and societies in international politics. The chapter shows that justice's meaning is derived very directly from international political issues.
