The author presents an intellectual profile of an Italian philosopher, Danilo Zolo, one of the most interesting thinkers on the contemporary philosophical scene. In his works, Zolo submits an analysis of the contemporary world. The paramount objective he pursues, however, is an attempt at answering questions from the domain of the philosophy of law and the philosophy of politics, including, primarily, the philosophy of global politics. The issues he subjects to scrutiny include the universal character of human rights, the equality of individuals and societies and the sovereignty of states in the era of globalisation, the issue of a choice of a concept of justice, and a definition of the concept of war and terrorism as seen against the background of global structures and the events of recent decades.