This course is available for in-person and remote (online) learning. Remote (online) and in-person students participate together in the same class.
The last hundred years have seen brutal wars, murderous totalitarian regimes, genocide, and nuclear weapons. But we have also witnessed – to a certain extent because of the facts just mentioned – an unprecedented development of international law, a resurgence of interest in international ethics and the ethics of war, humanitarian initiatives on a large scale, and the founding of international organizations such as the United Nations, designed to foster peace and international cooperation. The ethical appraisal of war has a long history in Western political thought, and encompasses several different approaches, including the traditions known as realism, pacifism, and just war. This course will examine writings on the ethics of peace and war by a range of authors (from Cicero and Augustine to Walzer and McMahan) and apply them to a range of contemporary issues (humanitarian intervention, preventive war, civil war, drones, human shields, etc.).
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Show an understanding of the historical and contemporary debates about how war should, and is, conducted
- Situate these opinions within a broader appreciation of the historical and political origins of these debates
- Demonstrate a knowledge of various international efforts to structure how warfare progresses, and the successes and failures therein
- Communicate an understanding about the ethics of peace and war in a clear and concise way through assignments and class participation
Other Information
The course is conducted through seminars with an emphasis on interactive teaching aimed at engaging all students in active participation.
Indicative Assessment
- Please note that this assessment is indicative only. The actual assessment for the course is provided in the Class Summary prior to the commencement of the semester in which the course is being conducted and may differ from this assessment. (null) [LO null]
- Course Participation (10) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Opinion Piece (15) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Literature Review (30) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Research Essay (45) [LO 1,2,3,4]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
Approximately 130 hours comprising seminars as well as associated preparation, independent study, and assessment time.
Please note this is a general guide, averaged over the semester and the final hours ultimately depend on the individual's ability in reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Prescribed Texts
To be advised
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 14
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $4110 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $5880 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6612 | 26 Jul 2021 | 02 Aug 2021 | 14 Sep 2021 | 29 Oct 2021 | In Person | View |
