Solastalgia as an embodied experience and the principle of proportionality in international humanitarian law

Abstract

This article explores how embodied research in the arts and social sciences can inform the interpretation and application of international humanitarian law (IHL). The cornerstone of this article is the use and significance of the concept “solastalgia” (the concept of the pain or distress caused by the loss of, or inability to derive, solace connected to the negatively perceived state of one’s home environment) in embodied research in relation to the principle of proportionality. The concept is being developed for use in the formulation of public policy in the environmental sphere. In this article we conclude that the concept of solastalgia can be useful for the interpretation of the principle of proportionality in general and also for its application during the planning of military operations, for the benefit of civilians.