Looking the other way: what happened to the weaponization of water?
Abstract
Water and water infrastructure is granted legal protection under international law, making it eligible for normative safeguards. Yet, this normative expectation is challenged by records of states using water as a weapon. The article applies qualitative content analysis, looking into what is theorized to be the most water taboo-compliant country, the United States. It investigates its advocacy of the prohibitory norm on water weaponization in three conflicts: the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel–Hamas War, and the Yemeni Civil War. The analysis shows that water norms in practice are closer to humanitarian crisis prevention than a source of stigmatization based on abhorrence.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Water Treatment and Disinfection
Nuclear Issues and Defense
Transboundary Water Resource Management
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Water International
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 4–36
- Publication date
- 2 January 2026
- Language
- EN