This volume consists of papers and interviews which attempt to shed a strong light on the ethical problems that the death penalty presents, to put a finger on what constitutes the core problem of this punishment, and to show where humanity stands in this respect in the first quarter of the 21st century.

Its contributors are Robert (Renny) Cushing, Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis, Tsakhia Elbegdorj, Gilbert (Gill) Garcetti, Hanne Sophie Greve, Phillip F. Iya, Sylvie Zainabo Kayitesi, Ioanna Kuçuradi (ed.), Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Joaquin José Martínez, Federico Mayor, Ibrahim Najjar, Rajiv Narayan, Navanethem (Navi) Pillay, Bill Richardson, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Horacio Verbitsky and Asunta Vivo.