Ethics and War
This course examines the problem of ethics and war from a variety of historical, cultural, and philosophical perspectives, including the theories of violence and its role in human society, the history of warfare, and the experience of battle. We then turn to some of the classical theories of "just war" and the rules of war, and look at the evolution of the international law of war. Finally, we apply the theories discussed to contemporary issues, such as humanitarian intervention, new technologies, sanctions, and post-conflict resolution. Contemporary cases have included the Gulf War, Rwanda, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. Readings include John Keegan's The History of War, Michael Walzer's Just and Unjust Wars, J. Glenn Gray's The Warriors, J. T. Johnson's Morality and Contemporary Warfare, and S. Hoffmann's Ethics and Humanitarian Intervention. 3 hrs. lect./disc.