Professor Patrick Van Inwegen
e-mail: mailto:[email protected]
Spring 2005 Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:30 – 10:50
Howarth Hall Room 214
Office: McIntyre Hall 213Q Office Hours: T/TH 1 – 2 & W 2 – 3
Office Phone: 879-3490 or by appointment
Are
some choices morally superior to others? What constitutes right action? What does it mean to be responsible? Which is more important: intent or outcome? These are all questions that concern people in
general and ethicists in particular. Ethics considers how life should be, and how
people know what is good and what is bad.
In
applying ethics to politics, we can ask, “What standards do people use to
decide what constitutes a morally good society, policy, or behavior?” Of course, there are analysts who believe that
politics and ethics are, or can or should be, mutually exclusive categories. At least since Machiavelli, and perhaps even
since Thucydides, an influential critical mass of scholars have accepted that
the “morality of states” does not map perfectly onto the “morality of persons.”
However, few scholars claim that states are entirely amoral agents, or that the
“morality of persons” is irrelevant to public human endeavor.
This
course is divided into two main sections. First, we will examine several views on how,
if at all, questions of ethics apply to international relations. We will begin by considering major theoretical
approaches to the study of international ethics. After investigating contending assertions
about the origins and imperatives of international ethics, we will undertake an
in-depth study of two broad international issues – human rights and war – in
order to test the theoretical approaches. Meanwhile, you will each be researching a more
specific issue area for us to consider through your semester project and
presentation.
Required Texts – The following books are available for
purchase in the university bookstore:
Elshtain, Jean Bethke, Just War
Against Terror (New York: Basic Books, 2003).
Nardin, Terry and David R. Mapel (eds.), Traditions of International Ethics (New York: Cambridge University
Press, 1992).
Orend, Brian, Human Rights: Concept
and Content (Orchard Park, NY: Broadview, 2002).
Walzer, Michael. Just and Unjust
Wars, 2nd ed. (New York: Basic Books, 1992).
In addition, you will need to purchase three case studies from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy series. These are not in the bookstore, but you can buy them directly from the Institute at www.guisd.org or follow the links to these and other online materials for this class at my website: www.geocities.com/pvaninw
Case #518: “The Problems of Doing Good” by Alberto Coll
Case #239: “Sweating the Swoosh: Nike, the Globalization of Sneakers, and
the Question of Sweatshop Labor” by Michael Clancy
Case #258: “Establishing an International Criminal Court: The Emerging of
a New Global Authority?” by Eric K. Leonard
Participation: This is a seminar. You are expected to
attend class regularly and to be prepared for discussion (i.e., to have done
the reading and reflected on it). The
success of this class depends on your consistent participation and I keep track
of all students’ participation levels at all class sessions. Students who attend class regularly but rarely
participate will likely earn a participation grade of no more than “C.” If you miss more than three classes over the
course of the semester (except for those excused by your doctor or the Dean),
your participation grade will go down as a result. Participation counts as 20% of your course
grade.
Short Papers: You will be responsible for writing three
short (1,000-1,300 words) papers analyzing course readings. Papers are due on
Fridays (dates noted below) and must be received as an e-mail attachment in
Microsoft Word by 1pm. If you are
concerned about computer issues, send it earlier. I will send a confirmation reply that I have
received your attached paper and can open it Friday afternoon. Late papers will be penalized half a grade
per day it is late (e.g., from 92 to 87). Each paper will be worth 15% of your
course grade.
TOPIC
1 (Due Friday, February 12): Of the several traditions of international ethics
that we have considered to date, which seems to you the most useful and
appropriate set of standards for evaluating international relations? Why? Good
essays will make specific arguments and provide concrete evidence from
international relations.
TOPIC
2 (Due Friday, March 11): Besides life, what, if anything, do humans have a
right to by virtue of being human? Why? Be as specific as possible. (If you
believe that there are absolutely
no human rights, use the essay to explain your position. Concrete evidence will
make your essay more persuasive.)
TOPIC 3 (Due Friday,
April 15): Walzer and Elshtain assume that some wars can be just. Make your
best argument that there is no such thing as a just war. Be as specific as possible.
Term Paper: I have structured this course to give you
an in-depth look at two broad areas of concern to international ethicists:
human rights and the use of force. For
your semester project, I would like you to select a different, more specific
issue that is of interest to you, research that issue, and write a paper on it.
Papers are due by Tuesday, May 10 at 4
pm. Papers may be submitted via e-mail
or in person in my office. The late
penalties described for short papers apply for this project, too. If you hand in your paper after 4 pm, it will
be considered one full day late and be marked down accordingly. Your term paper will count as 20% of your
course grade.
Presentation: You will be responsible for giving a
10-minute in-class presentation on your term paper. Your presentation will count as 15% of your
course grade.
Grading Percentages Grading
Scale
Class Participation: 20% 93-100 A 73-76 C
Paper #1: 15% 90-92 A- 70-72 C-
Paper #2: 15% 87-89 B+ 67-69 D+
Paper #3: 15% 83-86 B 63-66 D
Term Paper: 20% 80-82 B- 60-62 D-
Presentation: 15% 77-79 C+ 0-59 F
The University is a
community of faculty, students, and staff engaged in the exchange of ideas
contributing to individual growth and development. Essential to the successful
functioning of the academic community is a shared sense of enthusiasm for
learning and respect for other persons. The successful functioning of the
academic community also demands honesty, which is the basis of respect for both
ideas and persons. The suspicion of dishonesty in the academic community is a
serious matter because it threatens the atmosphere of respect essential to
learning. Academic dishonesty can take many forms, including but not limited to
the following: plagiarism, which is the misrepresentation of someone else's
words, ideas, research, etc. as one's own; submitting the same paper for credit
in more than one course without prior permission; collaborating with other
students on papers and submitting them without instructor permission; cheating
on examinations; and mistreatment of library materials.
Any
act of plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the course. Additional rules concerning academic integrity
and examples of acceptable and unacceptable conduct can be found in the
undergraduate catalogue.
I. Traditions of Ethical
Analysis
18 January Introduction - Traditions of Ethical Analysis
20 January Ethical
relativism
Benedict, "The Case for Moral
Relativism" (handout)
Herodotus, "Custom is
King" (handout)
Wiredu, "Custom and
Morality" (handout)
25 January Classical Realism
Nardin & Mapel, Chapter 4
27 January Modern Realism
Nardin
& Mapel, Chapter 5
1 February Liberalism:
deontology
Nardin
& Mapel, Chapter 7
3 February Liberalism:
utilitarianism
Nardin
& Mapel, Chapter 8
8 February Natural Law
Nardin
& Mapel, Chapters 6 & 13
11 February Declaratory International Law
Nardin
& Mapel, Chapter 3
12 February Friday: First short paper due in my
e-mail inbox by 1:00 p.m.
II. Issues of International Ethics: Human Rights
15 February Definitions and Vocabulary for Human
Rights
Orend, Chapter 1
17 February Case Study #1: Documenting Human Rights
22 February Justification of Human Rights
Orend, Chapter 3
24 February Cast Study #2 “The Problem of Doing
Good”
1 March Substance of Human Rights
Orend, Chapter 4
3 March Case Study #3 “Sweating the Swoosh”
8 March Reciprocal Duties
Orend, Chapter 5
10 March Case Study #4 “Establishing an International
Criminal Court”
11 March Friday: Second short paper due in my e-mail
inbox by 1:00 p.m.
14-18 March SPRING BREAK: NO CLASSES
III. Issues of International Ethics: The Use of
Force
22 March Just and unjust wars
Walzer, Preface & Chapter 3
24 March Ends and means
Walzer, Chapters 7 & 8
29 March Noncombatants
Walzer, Chapters 9 & 10
31 March Terrorism and a Response to War Ethics
Walzer, Chapter 12
Chris
Hedges War Is a Force That Gives Us
Meaning (handout)
5 April September 11 and Just War
Elshtain, Chapters 3-6
7 April September 11 and Just War
Elshtain, Chapters 11 & 12 &
Appendix
12 April Non-violence
Gene Sharp’s There Are Realistic
Alternatives to War
Online at: http://65.109.42.80/organizations/org/TARA.pdf
14 April Pacifism
reading TBA
15 April 15 Friday: Third short paper due in my
e-mail inbox by 1:00 p.m.
IV. Issues of International Ethics: Special
Topics
19 April Presentations
21 April Presentations
26 April Presentations
28 April Presentations
3 May Conclusions
10 May Final papers due at the start of regularly scheduled
exam time 4 pm
(Tuesday)
via e-mail or delivered to my office.