New Books in Political Science James Greenwood-Reeves, "Justifying Violent Protest: Law and Morality in Democratic States" (Routledge, 2023)
Jan 4, 2026
James Greenwood-Reeves, a law lecturer at the University of Leeds and author of 'Justifying Violent Protest,' dives into the complex morality behind protest violence. He tackles pressing questions surrounding events like January 6th and movements such as Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter, arguing that in cases of unjust laws, violence can serve as a legitimate form of civil disobedience. He explores how constitutional morality and state legitimacy interact with citizens' rights to protest, sparking a vital discourse on the role of violence in liberal democracies.
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Origins: Ferguson To Capitol Riot
- Greenwood-Reeves cites Ferguson, Hong Kong, and Gilets Jaunes as catalytic moments for studying violent protest.
- He began with Ferguson and later rounded his project off as events like the US Capitol riot occurred.
State Force Vs Moral Justification
- Liberal democracies claim a monopoly on legitimate force yet present moral arguments to secure obedience from citizens.
- Violence in protest clashes with liberal ideals of autonomy and peaceful democratic deliberation but can expose incoherent state justifications.
Law As A Moral Argument
- Laws carry implied moral arguments tied to constitutional morality like fairness, equality, and justice.
- Citizens evaluate those moral claims and may find laws morally incoherent, which undermines duty to obey.
