What's in a Name? The Categorisation of Individuals under the Laws of Armed Conflict

This article examines matters relating to the categorisation of individuals under the laws of armed conflict, with particular reference to issues that have been at the centre of attention in the past decade, including the debates over the notion of direct participation by civilians and, in particular, the so called ?war on terror?. The focus of this article is on the actual effects of categorisation of individuals ? particularly in the conduct of hostilities ? and whether the controversies over the labels used are in fact a major concern or, perhaps, more of a distracting smokescreen.