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Ethics in International Relations (347-0-20)

Instructors

Karen Alter
847/491-4842
Scott Hall #318

Meeting Info

University Hall 101: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

What role do and should ethical considerations play in international relations? Answering this question em-pirically and normatively raises more challenges than you may think. Is there an inevitable tension between acting ethically and acting in one's self-interest? Is it utopian to think about ethical factors playing a role in international affairs? If ethics should or do matter, then how should and do ethical concerns get factored in to state and individual decision-making? Are there universal moral standards that governments should re-spect? Is there an "international society" to whom leaders should be accountable? What should our individ-ual responsibility be as political leaders, business leaders, consumers, and as individual citizens in ensuring ethical international policies?

This course is designed to challenge you to make decisions about the role ethics play in international affairs. We explore a handful of classical ethical frameworks. We also read works of philosophy, political psycholo-gy, anthropology, policy, international relations. These are launchpads for thinking about the role of ethics in international affairs. The course asks you to reflect on hard questions. Ultimately (and beyond the course itself) the goal is to have you create for yourself a moral code of conduct to guide you as citizen of a powerful state, as a tacit supporter of war in some circumstances, and as a human living in a flawed world.

Learning Objectives

Through readings, discussion and written reflections, students will grapple with how every one of us, as individuals, CEOs, members and leaders of the military, political representatives and Presidents, can do something to make more ethical the complicated world as it is..

  • Students will understand the 3 international classical international relations frames-ethics do not matter, liberal ethics matter, what is ethical is socially constructed-and how these frames shape international politics today.
  • Students will understand Just War Theory and its modern applications.
  • Introduction to the complicated issues of global distributive justice, global environmental justice, and human rights as promoting justice.
  • Students will understand and grapple with Peter Singer’s philosophy about individual obligations to do good and be global citizens.
  • Throughout the term, students will be directly engaging ethical arguments posed by the readings, and through reflections developing and proffering their own viewpoints.

Teaching Method

Lecture, discussion, assessments that are tools of learning

Evaluation Method

1) Participation Journals: (30%) Due June 1: This is where you directly engage class materials. Submissions are due in real time. You will assemble and submit the completed journal the last week of class. Revisions are permitted, and only the final submission will be graded. The final journal includes:

SIX reflections on a reading question submitted before the relevant session:

ONE My hero presentation and write-up- Due Monday week 4, 5, 7, OR 8.

Attendance: Report and explain your attendance and any tardy submissions as a page in your participation journal.

2) Use of Force Paper (30%) - Due May 4 - This 6-8 double spaced pages paper applies Walzer to grapple with ethical concerns related to the US' use of force in Libya, or the US targeted killing policy.

3) Final project: (40%) due at the regularly scheduled Registrar final exam time {{Tues, June 9 @ 12pm}}

This assignment engages what individuals do. Choose one of the three options. Whatever your choice, the assignment is for a 6-8 page double spaced paper. AI is not permitted, and you need to cite by page the works you are engaging.

Class Materials (Required)

  1. Mark. R. Amstutz. International Ethics: Concepts, Theories and Cases in Global Politics Sixth Edition, Bloomsbury, 2025.

  2. Michael Walzer. Just and Unjust Wars, Basic Books, 1977.

  3. Timothy Snyder On Tyranny : Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century. New York: Tim Duggan Books, 2017. (The library offers an on-line version).

  4. Course Pack- Readings with * are in a course pack. This return to course packs is an experiment.

  5. Canvas includes links to videos at recent events articles

Class Attributes

Ethical and Evaluative Thinking Foundational Disci
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
Ethics & Values Distro Area

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration -- Reserved for Political Science or International Studies students until the end of preregistration, after which time enrollment will be open to everyone who has taken the prerequisites.
Add Consent: Department Consent Required

Associated Classes

DIS - Harris Hall L05: Thurs 4:00PM - 4:50PM

DIS - Harris Hall L04: Thurs 5:00PM - 5:50PM