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:

1. Show an understanding of the historical and contemporary debates about how war should, and is, conducted
2. Situate these opinions within a broader appreciation of the historical and political origins of these debates
3. Demonstrate a knowledge of various international efforts to structure how warfare progresses, and the successes and failures therein
4. Communicate an understanding about the ethics of peace and war in a clear and concise way through assignments and class participation 
5. Critically evaluate live arguments and debates regarding the ethics of peace and war.

Recommended Resources

It is recommended that students purchase their own copy of Michael Walzer's Just and Unjust Wars, preferably the 5th edition, which will be assigned in full with specific readings to focus on each week.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments on submitted assignments, oral presentations, and weekly online contributions
• Peer comments on oral presentations
• Verbal feedback to the whole class on presentations and online discussions

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	PART I: Key Concepts and Theoretical FrameworksLecture 1:  Ethics, World Politics, and Organised Violence
2	PART II: The Just War TraditionLecture 2: The Just War Tradition: History, Proponents, and Critics
3	Lecture 3: Jus In Bello: Just Conduct in War	Assigned class presentations
4	Lecture 4: Jus Ad Bellum: The Justice of Going to War	Assigned class presentations
5	PART III: Interpretation and Controversy - Applying Principles to Hard Cases Lecture 5: ‘Anticipation’ as a Justification for Going to War: Preventive Wars and Pre-emptive strikes	Assigned class presentations
6	Lecture 6: Moral Arguments For and Against Nuclear Deterrence	Assigned class presentations
7	Lecture 7: Stepping Outside the Rules? ‘Supreme Emergencies’ and Other (Debated) Exceptions	Assigned class presentations
8	III. Responsibility for ViolationsLecture 8: War Crimes and ‘Superior Orders’: Who Should Be Held Responsible for Breaking the Rules of War?	Assigned class presentations
9	Lecture 9: The Ethics of War and the Responsibilities of Citizens	Assigned class presentations
10	Lecture 10: AI on the Battlefield: Jus In Bello, Synthetic Soldiers & Targeting by Algorithm	Assigned class presentations
11	Lecture 11: AI in the War-room: Jus Ad Bellum, Automated Self-Defence, and ‘AI Advisors’	Assigned class presentations
12	Final Exam (two hours)

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
10-min in-class oral presentation	20 %	*	1,2,3,4,5
Weekly responses to online presentations	0 %	*	1,2,3,4,5
Final exam (two hours)	40 %	21/10/2025	1,2,3,4,5
Journal submission - approximately 3000 words	40 %	04/11/2025	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using 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. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

10-min in-class oral presentation

Students will select/be assigned to a week and choose one of that week's questions to respond to. The 10-min presentation will be followed by 5 mins of Q&A. The presentation will be accompanied by an online written submission, which the student will add to the on-line forum before the start of the relevant class. (Students will be assessed on the oral presentation and Q&A rather than on the written submission.)

Summative assessment: The convenor will provided detailed comments and marks on the presentations the following week in class.

Formative assessment: Presenters will receive peer feedback (offered on a form provided by the convenor) at the end of the relevant class. This will only be seen by the presenter.

Assessment Task 2

Weekly responses to online presentations

Each student should provide a detailed written response to the on-line forum versions of the class presentations. This is a formative assessment task. The course convenor will provide written and oral feedback on the discussions each week. Moreover. the presenters for each week will moderate and respond to the discussions that are generated by their online presentations.

Assessment Task 3

Final exam (two hours)

The final exam will take the form of two essay questions, written over two hours in the final lecture slot. The exams will be written by hand in exam booklets, unless there are special circumstances that require the students to type the exam.

Assessment Task 4

Journal submission - approximately 3000 words

Students will select their best five weekly forum contributions and place each in context in terms of their significance, the role they played in the discussion, the practical implications of the position taken, and the student's own assessment of the position given further reflection that has occurred over the course of the module. In addition to placing each contribution in context in this way, the collection as a whole will include an introduction and conclusion setting out common themes that come out in these contributions, where the student was in terms of understanding and reflecting on these topics and problems at the start of the course, and how their views and understanding have changed over the course of the module.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

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.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

No submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date will be permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Please see assessment task 4.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students