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Political Research Seminar (395-0-22)

Topic

Moral Issues in Foreign Policy

Instructors

Shmuel Nili
Scott Hall, Room 20
Office Hours: http://www.polisci.northwestern.edu/people/core-faculty/shmulik-nili.html

Meeting Info

Scott Hall 201 Ripton Room: Wed 3:30PM - 5:50PM

Overview of class

"Moral issues in foreign policy" This upper-level course uses current foreign affairs to discuss the ethics of foreign policy. We examine a range of policy issues - from the ethics of responding to global poverty and foreign corruption, through the global climate crisis, to wars abroad (with the war in Ukraine as a recurrent example). In the process of delving into these specific issues, students will acquire a more general understanding of central approaches to the morality of public policy.

Registration Requirements

Majors and minors only

Learning Objectives

- A basic grasp of the ethics of the substantive policy issues discussed in the course - A basic grasp of the broader foundations of contemporary political philosophy used to illuminate these specific policy issues.

Teaching Method

Seminar

Evaluation Method

50 percent: active participation in class discussion 20 percent: 1500 word paper for the session in which you'll be initiating discussion 30 percent: an extension of your short paper based on class feedback (3500-5000 words)

Class Notes

Class capped at 15 students.