Human Dignity as a Limit to Violence

In these pages, I will offer a radical critique of violence, particularly in light of insights developed by significant schools of thought such as legal pacifism and feminist legal theory. In the paragraphs that follow, I will attempt to further investigate this issue, beginning with some reflections on the characteristics of contemporary violence: first, by recalling how the relationship between violence and law has evolved over time; then, by highlighting the contributions of critical legal theories to the analysis and deconstruction of the role of violence in the contemporary world. Finally, I will return to the concept of human dignity through the possible theorisation of vulnerability as an alternative foundation to violence in shaping legal and political structures.