Ethics and International Relations

This subject will explore a number of real-world ethical problems in international politics, and analyse the ethical responsibilities of citizens, states, and non-state actors in responding to these problems. These problems focus on ethical dilemmas concerning welfare, justice, and political legitimacy in relation to: political violence; world poverty and economic inequality; international governance; global gender inequalities; migration and refugee protection; environment; regulation of Multinational Corporations and NGOs; and international responses to human rights violations by states and Corporations. This subject will further familiarise students with a range of theories – in particular, ‘consequentialist’ and ‘deontological’ ethical theories, and normative political theories of ‘justice’, ‘legitimacy’, and ‘human rights’ – and help students to develop skills in applying these theories as tools for critical analysis of real-world ethical problems, and for prescribing ethical international institutions, policies, and political actions.