Ethics and International Relations

Ethics and International Relations offers a comprehensive introduction to the philosophical issues raised by international politics. Presupposing no prior philosophical knowledge and deliberately avoiding the use of technical language, it is ideally suited for use on political philosophy, applied ethics and international relations courses. The author begins by setting the international scene and discusses the dispute between cosmopolitan ideals and national sovereignty, and the moral scepticism of the political term "realism" which has been so influential in the study of international relations. Subsequent chapters explore the practical applications of ethical theories to issues of global importance. Including suggestions for further reading in each chapter as well as a full bibliography, this book not only introduces readers to material that has attracted critical discussion, but also offers a complete general survey of the principle issues in ethics and international relations. Revised and updated, new material includes coverage of the war on terror and on the impact of globalisation on environmental sustainability and ideas of cosmopolitan governance.

Preface to the Second Edition. 1. The International Orders . From Vienna to Versailles–The Rise of the Nation State. The Challenge of Internationalism. Sovereignty. Federalism and the International ‘State of Nature’. The Law of Nature and Nations. Summary. 2. Realism, Morality and Law . The Hobbesian State of Nature. Realism. National Interest and Moral Responsibility. Moralism and the Domestic Analogy. Factual and Moral Disanalogy. Legalism. 3. War. Christian Attitudes to War. The Case for Pacifism. Just Wars. Justice Ad Bellum. Force and Violence. Justice In Bello. The Principle of Double Effect. 4. Weapons of Mass Destruction . The Argument So Far. Modern Warfare. Consequentialism. Deterrence. Threats, Bluffs and Conditional Intentions. Mutually Assured Destruction. Summary. 5. Humanitarian Intervention . Intervention and the Challenge to Legalism. Autonomy and the Nation State. Non–intervention and States as Persons. Consequentialism and Non–intervention. The Definition of Intervention. Intervention and Just War Theory. Intervention, the Rule of Law and the Duty to Intervene. Summary. 6. Terrorists, Guerillas and War on Terror . The Definition of Terror. Freedom Fighters. Terrorism. Guerilla Warfare. Torture and the War on Terrorism. Summary. 7. North and South, Aid and Trade. Absolute and Relative Poverty. Poverty and Cost/Benefit Analysis. Lifeboat Ethics. Taking Stock of the Arguments. Social Justice and Welfare Rights. Basic Rights, National Boundaries and International Justice. Aid and Trade: the World Bank and the WTO. Summary. 8. Globalization, Cosmopolitanism and the Environment . Globalization. Cosmopolitanism and Subsidiarity. Environmental Disaster. Environmental Ethics. Shallow and Deep Ecology. The Gaia Hypothesis. Globalization, Environment and International Relations. Bibliography. Index

Gordon Graham is Henry Luce III Professor of Philosophy and the Arts at Princeton Theological Seminary, having previously been for many years Regius Professor of Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen. He has published many books and articles in aesthetics, moral and political philosophy and applied ethics. In addition to his academic publications he has contributed many articles to newspapers and magazines, and broadcasts regularly on BBC radio.

"Ethics and International Relations is an excellent introduction to this important subject. With unusual clarity, Graham tackles all the main topics, from sovereignty to global warming, examining popular opinions and academic theories in a way that will bring newcomers quickly up to speed." Terry Nardin, National University of Singapore "It is highly accessible but does not duck the hard and often intractable questions of violence, poverty, injustice and trade." Times Higher Education Supplement <!––end––>