Justice Beyond Borders: A Global Political Theory (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005)

A: Contents
Chapter One: Introduction
This introduces the concept of 'cosmopolitanism', and distinguishes it from three other ethical approaches  to issues in global politics (namely, what I term 'realism', the 'society of states' approach and 'nationalism').

Chapter Two: Universalism
This chapter examines whether there are universal values.  It examines three arguments for universalism, finding three wanting, but it argues that one (what I term the General Argument) is successful.  It then examines and rejects nine challenges to universalism.  Some of these, I maintain, misconstrue universalism and its implications; others, I argue, turn out on closer inspection to rest on, or collapse into, universalism.

Chapter Three: Human Rights
Having argued that there are universal values, Chapters Three and Four examine what they might be.  This chapter examines the case for universal civil and political rights.  It argues that there are civil and political human rights, though it also argues some commonly given justifications fail.  It then explores six challenges to such human rights, and seeks to show that they do not give us reason to reject human rights.

Chapter Four: Distributive Justice
In this chapter I turn to consider the question of whether there are universal principles of distributive justice.  I criticise some of the arguments put forward in defence of global principles of justice (including those by Charles Beitz, Thomas Pogge and Henry Shue).  I then defend four principles of global distributive justice.  The remainder of the chapter rebuts challenges to such principles from Rawls (in 'The Law of Peoples'), and from nationalists and realists.

Chapter Five: Political Structures 
Having identified global principles of civil, political and economic justice, Chapter 5 examines what political structures are appropriate.  Should there be a system of states?  Should there be supra-state political authorities.  If so, what kind?  What role, if any, should national self-determination play in institutional design?  I argue that a system of supra-state institutions is required to realise cosmopolitan principles of justice.

Chapter Six: Just War
The preceding chapters have defended several universal principles of civil, political and economy justice.  The next two chapters explore what action can be taken (and by whom) when some violate those cosmopolitan principles.  This chapter focuses on what a political regime may do if others attack it ('external wrongs'), it and considers, in particular, when it may wage war and what principles govern the just conduct of war.  I criticise several prominent accounts of just war theory (most notably that defended by Michael Walzer), and develop, and defend, a cosmopolitan account of just war.

Chapter Seven: Humanitarian Intervention
This chapter also concerns what action can be taken (and by whom) when some violate cosmopolitan principles of justice.  However, it focuses on cases where wrongs are committed within a political regime ("internal wrongs"), and examines whether outside bodies are ever morally permitted, or required, to engage in humanitarian intervention.  This chapter, thus, examines principled and pragmatic arguments against intervention, and thereby develops a cosmopolitan account of the conditions that must be met if humanitarian intervention is to be justified

Conclusion

B: Some Reviews
[1] Professor Allen Buchanan (Duke) wrote:
"Justice Beyond Borders is a remarkable accomplishment. It provides the best defense of a cosmopolitan approach to justice since Charles Beitz's Political Theory and International Relations. It is extraordinarily clear, balanced, and insightful, and exhibits a mastery of several relevant literatures."  See here.

[2] Professor Thomas Pogge (Yale) wrote:
“Defending a cosmopolitan approach to global political theory against its three main rivals — realism, nationalism, and the society-of-states tradition — Simon Caney discusses six topics, each in a separate chapter, on which these approaches diverge: the existence of universal moral values, civil and political human rights, universal principles of distributive justice, the design of the global institutional order, just war theory, and humanitarian intervention. Caney’s success in covering such a vast range of topics and approaches is truly impressive: He shows dazzling mastery of the relevant literatures — from Kant to Kennan, from Aśoka’s Edicts to the Tobin Tax proposal. He achieves great lucidity, especially in the structural design of the book and its parts. The cosmopolitan position he develops has coherence and plausibility. And his specific arguments are clear and forceful”.  He describes Justice beyond Borders as a “superb book” and a “terrific book” and closes his review expressing “my admiration for his rich and learned work” (Book Review in Ethics and International Affairs vol.19 no.3 (2005), pp.101-103).

[3] Professor Chris Bertram (Bristol University) describes Justice Beyond Borders as an “impressive work[] of scholarship that will have a place on the shelves of anyone thinking seriously about these problems” (‘Cosmopolitanism and Inequality: Review Article of Caney Justice Beyond Borders and Tan Justice Without Borders’, Res Publica vol.12 no.3 (2006), pp.327-336).  He also describes it as an “extraordinarily stimulating work[]”.

[4] Dr Duncan Bell (University of Cambridge) wrote:
"Justice Beyond Borders represents analytic political philosophy at its best: exceptionally clearly argued, theoretically acute, uncompromising in its pursuit of a line of argument and (usually) generous and fair in its criticisms of alternative positions. It should be essential reading for international political theorists."
"Caney exhibits a mastery of several intersecting literatures and one of the most interesting (and unusual) things about his work is its serious engagement with work produced by International Relations scholars."
"Although there are many points on which Caney can be challenged, his argument is rigorous and illuminating throughout, as is his discussion of the more general question of what a compelling international political theory must do to avoid inconsistency and incoherence."
"Justice Beyond Borders is one of the most important books on international political theory to have appeared in the last decade."
(These are all quotations from his Book Review in International Affairs vol.82 no.2 (2006), pp.369-371.)

[5] Professor Alex Bellamy (University of Queensland) wrote:
"This is an impressive and important book that goes a long way towards articulating and defending a cosmopolitan approach to world politics. It is original, engaging and well researched."
"Justice Beyond Borders should provide the starting point for a new stream of exploration in International Relations. The theoretical groundwork has been superbly completed in this volume."
(These are all quotations from his Book Review in Millennium vol.34 no.2 (2006), pp.597-599.)