EPOKA UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE INFORMATIONCourse Title: ETHICS AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS |
| Code | Course Type | Regular Semester | Theory | Practice | Lab | Credits | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIR 230 | C | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) | NA |
| Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: | Islam Jusufi , Anytime |
| Second Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours: | NA |
| Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours: | NA |
| Language: | English |
| Compulsory/Elective: | Compulsory |
| Classroom and Meeting Time: | E 311 |
| Course Description: | The purpose of this course is to survey central ethical problems in international relations. These include questions such as: What are a country’s obligations to foreign states or peoples? Under what circumstances may armed force be used, and by whom? What should be the role of human rights in foreign policy? When is external intervention in civil conflicts acceptable? Can international law be ever justifiably defied? Is terrorism always wrong? Is torture always wrong? Should every international crime be prosecuted and punished? Is democracy for everybody? To what extent are countries responsible for mitigation of extreme poverty or environmental degradation beyond their borders? The course is divided into two parts. The first introduces major traditions of reflection on international ethics. It seeks to articulate their common assumptions and claims while paying attention to their internal richness and varying viewpoints. The second part then elaborates on some of the most significant contemporary issues in international ethics, integrating into the discussion recent empirical cases. The key focus is on issues related to the use of armed force, human rights and international distributive justice. |
| Course Objectives: | This course aims to introduce students to the field of ethics and familiarise them with basic ideas about its relevance to international politics. The course also aims to develop key academic writing skills and equip students with a range of important skills; managing a varied workload; and preparing written reports and verbal presentations. |
|
COURSE OUTLINE
|
| Week | Topics |
| 1 | a. Course introduction, overview of texts, and expectations; b. Ethics and Foreign policy. Must readings: Chandler, pages: 3-13. Shapcott, pages: 1-10. |
| 2 | Ethics in International Relations. Must readings: Frost, pages: 1-53. |
| 3 | Ethical traditions in International Relations. Must readings: Nardin, pages: 1-21 Optional: Nardin, pages: 297-322. |
| 4 | Normative turn in foreign policy. Must readings: Chandler, pages: 117-131. Optional: Whitman, pages: 171-189. |
| 5 | Ethics and legitimacy. Must readings: Rosenthal, pages: 155-179. Optional: Chandler, pages: 161-180; 206-219. |
| 6 | Global ethical practices. Must readings: Frost, pages: 54-95. |
| 7 | Ethical incoherence: individual rights versus states’ rights. Must readings: Frost, pages: 96-149. |
| 8 | Mid-Term exam. |
| 9 | Justice and international politics. Must readings: Sen, pages: 1-27. Optional: Beitz, 360–389. Nagel, pages: 113–147. |
| 10 | Ethics in Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombing. Must readings: Newman, pages: 115-152. Optional: Frank, Why Truman Dropped the Bomb. US History, The Decision to Drop the Bomb. Film: Original Child Bomb. Film: The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb. |
| 11 | Ethics in inaction in Rwanda. Must readings: Walzer, pages: 67-81. Optional: Des Forges, Shame. Ferroggiaro, U.S. and Genocide in Rwanda. Walzer, pages: 33-50. Film: Shake Hands with the Devil (2007) Ethics in the War in Iraq and in fight against terrorism Must readings: Walzer, pages: 143-168. Optional: Frost, pages: 45-53. Luban, Torture, American-Style. Rejali, Five Myths about Torture and Truth. Hersch, Torture at Abu Ghraib. Documentary: PBS Frontline’s “The Torture Question”. Film: “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib”. Film: The Fog of War. Ethics and the Use of Force Must readings: Rosenthal, pages: 67-82; 85-99. Optional: Arend, pages: 89-102. Walzer, pages: 3-23. |
| 12 | Ethics in the War in Iraq and in fight against terrorism. Must readings: Walzer, pages: 143-168. Optional: Frost, pages: 45-53. Luban, Torture, American-Style. Rejali, Five Myths about Torture and Truth. Hersch, Torture at Abu Ghraib. Documentary: PBS Frontline’s “The Torture Question”. Film: “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib”. Film: The Fog of War. |
| 13 | Ethics and the Use of Force. Must readings: Rosenthal, pages: 67-82; 85-99. Optional: Arend, pages: 89-102. Walzer, pages: 3-23. |
| 14 | Ethics of Foreign Aid (and concluding review of the course). Must readings: Rosenthal, pages: 307-314. Rawls, pages: 105-120. Optional: Kuper, pages: 107-120; 125-126. Rosenthal, pages: 285-301; 317-327; 329-333. Singer, pages: 121-124; 127-128. |
| Prerequisite(s): | Class attendance and participation; papers; presentations. |
| Textbook: | Chandler, D. & Heins, V. (2016). Rethinking Ethical Foreign Policy: Pitfalls, possibilities and paradoxes. London: Routledge. (Available Online) Frost, M. (2009). Global ethics anarchy, freedom and international relations. London: Routledge. (Available Online) Nardin, T. & Mapel, R. D. (2009). Traditions of International Ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Available Online) Newman, R. (1995). Truman and the Hiroshima Cult. Michigan: Michigan State University Press. (Available Online) Rawls, J. (2001). The Law on Peoples. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. (Available Online) Rosenthal, J. H. & Barry, C. (2009). Ethics & International Affairs, A Reader. Washington DC: Georgetown University Press. (Available Online) Sen, A. (2011). The Idea of Justice. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. (Available Online) Shapcott, R. (2010). International Ethics: A Critical Introduction. Cambridge: Polity Books. (Available Online) Walzer, M. (2004). Arguing About War. New Haven: Yale University Press. (Available Online) |
| Other References: | Arend, A. C. (2003). International Law and the Preemptive Use of Military Force. The Washington Quarterly, 2, 89-103. (Available Online) Beitz, C. R. (1975). Justice and International Relations. Philosophy and Public Affairs, 4, 360-389. (Available Online) Des Forges, A. L. & Kuperman, A. J. (2000). Shame: Rationalizing Western Apathy on Rwanda. Foreign Affairs. (Available Online) Ferroggiaro, W. (2001). U.S. and Genocide in Rwanda, 1994: Evidence of Inaction. (Available Online) Frank, R. B. (2005, August 8). Why Truman Dropped the Bomb. The Weekly Standard. (Available Online) Hersch, S. M. (2004, May 10). Torture at Abu Ghraib. The New Yorker. (Available Online) Kuper, A. (2002). More Than Charity/ Facts, Theories, and Hard Choices. Carnegie Debate: Global Poverty Relief. (Available Online) Luban, D. (2005, November 27). Torture, American-Style. The Washington Post. (Available Online) Nagel, T. (2005). The Problem of Global Justice. Philosophy & Public Affairs 33, 113–147. (Available Online) Nardin, T. & Mapel, R. D. (1992). Traditions of International Ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (Available Online) Rejali, D. (2007, December 16). Five Myths about Torture and Truth. The Washington Post. (Available Online) Singer, P. (2002). Poverty, Facts, and Political Philosophies/Achieving the Best Outcome. Carnegie Debate: Global Poverty Relief. (Available Online) US History. The Decision to Drop the Bomb. (Available Online) Whitman, R. G. (2013). The neo-normative turn in theorising the EU's international presence. Cooperation and Conflict, 48, 171-189. (Available Online) Films and documentaries: Ghosts of Abu Ghraib. Original Child Bomb. Shake Hands with the Devil (2007) The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb. The Fog of War. The Torture Question. |
| Laboratory Work: | |
| Computer Usage: | |
| Others: | No |
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COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
|
| 1 | To demonstrate a knowledge of major issues and concepts in the ethics of International Relations, |
| 2 | To demonstrate an ability to use these concepts in particular circumstances, |
| 3 | To demonstrate an ability to present an argument in both oral and written forms, |
| 4 | To demonstrate basic understanding of the major ethics issues in world politics. |
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COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES
(Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution) |
| No | Program Competencies | Cont. |
| Bachelor in Political Science and International Relations (3 years) (Old) Program | ||
| 1 | Having and using advanced knowledge and comprehension supported by textbooks including actual knowledge in political sciences and international relations literature, materials and the other scientific resources. | 5 |
| 2 | Analyzing data, ideas and concepts of current political issues and international relations, determining complex events and topics, making discussions and developing new suggestions in accordance with researches. | 5 |
| 3 | Having knowledge and thought about actual topics and problems together with their historical, social and cultural aspects. | 4 |
| 4 | Introducing those who are interested in politics and international events with the topics of Political Science and IR and teaching clearly the problems and the types of solutions. | 5 |
| 5 | Improving skills of working together with the main social science disciplines and other disciplines which are related to Political Science and International Relations. | 3 |
| 6 | Improving critical thinking and skills in making research independently. | 5 |
| 7 | Developing solutions about the problems and conflicts which are common in national and international arena. | 5 |
| 8 | Improving skills for leadership and research and analyze capacity of those who is responsible with national and international ones. | 3 |
| 9 | Knowing any foreign language enough to communicate with colleagues and understand actual researches and articles. | 4 |
| 10 | Gaining IT skills to use computer and technology) in order to reach actual knowledge. | 1 |
| 11 | Gaining skills to follow societal, scientific and ethic values during collecting, interpreting, conducting of data related to social and political developments. | 5 |
| 12 | Having consciousness about human rights and environment. | 5 |
| 13 | Gaining the skills to follow actual developments and pursue long-life learning. | 5 |
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COURSE EVALUATION METHOD
|
| Method | Quantity | Percentage |
| Midterm Exam(s) |
1
|
30
|
| Presentation |
1
|
10
|
| Project |
1
|
10
|
| Final Exam |
1
|
40
|
| Attendance |
10
|
|
| Total Percent: | 100% |
|
ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)
|
| Activities | Quantity | Duration(Hours) | Total Workload(Hours) |
| Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours) | 16 | 3 | 48 |
| Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) | 16 | 2 | 32 |
| Mid-terms | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Assignments | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Final examination | 16 | 1 | 16 |
| Other | 17 | 1 | 17 |
|
Total Work Load:
|
125 | ||
|
Total Work Load/25(h):
|
5 | ||
|
ECTS Credit of the Course:
|
5 | ||