This book investigates the moral legitimacy of regulating warfare, questioning whether the legal frameworks governing combatants can be reconciled with the inherent violence of war. Marcela Prieto Rudolphy, a scholar in legal philosophy, evaluates existing theories regarding the distinction between just and unjust combatants. She argues that the regulation of war is fundamentally a moral compromise, proposing an alternative framework that acknowledges the ethical tensions present in modern conflict.

Experts identify this work as a rigorous contribution to the philosophy of law and international ethics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for scholars and students of political theory.