This course examines issues of normative judgment in the context of international affairs and economic and social development. It introduces several basic conceptual frameworks for such normative analysis: utilitarianism, rights theories, imperfect duties, Rawlsian principles of justice, needs based theory, the theory of capacities and well-being. It compares and applies these frameworks to specific issues such as war and peace, intervention, international distributive justice, debt and development, hunger and international justice, immigration and refugees, environment and development. Theories and issues will be examined with some specific case studies, including; the U.S. invasion of Panama, the Law of the Sea treaty, the International Monetary Fund and Nigeria, and environmental attention to the Brazialian rain forest.

TEXTS

The following books are on sale in the University of Pittsburgh book center, and on reserve in the GSPIA library:

Michael, Walzer, Just and Unjust Wars,

Charles Beitz, Political Theory and International Relations, Princeton, 1979.

Jack Donnelly, Universal Human rights in Theory and Practice, Cornell University Press, 1989.

Robert Goodin, and Brian Barry, ed., Free Movement, Penn state Press, 1992.

Henry Shue, Basic Rights, Princeton University Press

The following books are on reserve in the GSPIA library in addition to the books above, which contain some required readings for this course:

Rachel McCleary, Seeking Justice: Case Studies in Ethics and International Affairs

Robin Attfield and Barry Wilkins, ed., International Justice and the Third World

Nussbaum and Sen, ed. The Quality of Life

The following xerox articles which are required reading are on reserve in the GSPIA library:

Robert Goodin, "International Ethics and Environment"

David Crocker, "The hope for just, participatory ecodevelopment in Costa Rica".

Amarta Sen, "Property and Hunger"

Format of sessions - You are expected to come to class having read the chapters listed on the syllabus for that date. I will take about the last third of the previous class session to introduce the issues and concepts of the next weekdiscussion of the issues, concepts, and arguments in the reading assigned for that day. One or two of you will often begin this discussion with a presentation on those issues and arguments.

TOPICS AND READINGS BY WEEK

September 2 - Ethics and International Affairs: beginning frameworks.

September 9 - Morally legitimate ends of war

Walzer, Chapters 1, 4 and 5

September 16 - The means of war.

Walzer, Chapters 8,9,10, 11. Paper due.

September 23 - Ethics of Intervention

Walzer, Chapter 6; Beitz, Part II, Chapters 1 and 2; McCleary, Chapter 2, "Just Cause?: The 1989 U.S. Invasion of Panama."

September 30 - International Justice

Beitz, Part III, Chapters 1-4, "International Distributive Justice;" McCleary, Chapter 4, "Sharing the Global Commons: The Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea;" OBoundaries," in Attfield and Wilkins, pp. 50-76. Paper due.

October 7 - Basic Rights

Shue, Chapter 1-3 -- Argument for basic rights to security and subsistence, and the duties that individuals and states have to meet these obligations.

October 14 - Human Rights

Donnelly, Part I, and Part III, Chapter 6; "The Concept of Human Rights," and "The Interdependence and Indivisibility of Human Rights," "Cultural Relativism and Universal Human Rights." Paper due.

October 21 - Rights, Poverty and Development

Belsey, "World Poverty, Justice and Equality," in Attfield and Wilkins, pp. 35-49; Amartya Sen, "Capability and Well-Being," in Nussbaum and Sen; Sen, Property and Hunger," (in reserve folder in GSPIA library). Suggested: Donnelly, Part IV, "Human Rights and Development."

October 28 - International Trade and the Movement of Money

Little, "Ethics and International Economic Relations," Lal, " The Migration of money -- from a libertarian viewpoint," Strange, "Ethics and the movement of money," all in Barry and Goodin; McCleary, Chapter 6, "GATT Fair Trade Practices." Paper due.

November 4 - Debt, Development and Need.

Wilkins, "Debt and Underdevelopment: The Case for Canceling Third World Debts," in Attfield and Wilkins; McCleary, Chapter 5, "Debt and Sovereignty: The IMF and Nigeria, 1983-1986;" Term paper proposal due.

November 11 - Transnational migration

Carens, "Migration and morality: a liberal egalitarian perspective;" Woodward, "Liberalism and migration," Goodin, "The Political realism of free movement," all in Barry and Goodin. Paper due.

November 18 - International Ethics and Environment.

Goodin, "International Ethics and Environment," (folder on reserve in GSPIA library); Hun, "Is there a conflict between environmental protection and the development of the Third World?" in Attfield and Wilkins; McCleary, Chapter 7, "Preserving the Rain Forest: Brazil and the 'Internationalization' of Amazonia.".

December 2 - Sustainable Development.

Dower, "Sustainability and the right to development," and Attfield, "Development and environmentalism" both in Attfield and Wilkins; David Crocker, "The hope for just, participatory ecodevelopment in Cost Rica," folder on reserve. Paper due.

December 9 - Ethics, International Relations and Development: reviewing the frameworks.

December 16 - Presentations

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

There will be no examinations in this course. Your work will be evaluated primarily by means of five short and one long paper you write outside of class.

Justified Opinion Papers - Beginning September 16 and every other week December 2 you will write a 2-4 page paper in which you make a claim and argue for it. Your claim should relate directly to something in the readings for the previous two weeks. You may develop a point in the readings, synthesize several different points from different readings, give an argument against something in the readings, bring points in different readings in dialogue with each other. When you are talking about points in the readings, you should say enough in the way of summary so that it is clear how you understand them. But the main task of your paper is to state some claim that you believe and then to give clear and cogent reasons for it. The purpose of these papers is for you to develop your thinking in a coherent way on some of the interests that strike you in the course, and for you to develop your skills in writing clearly and making cogent arguments. I will comment on all papers. Thus these papers also serve as a means for conversation between you and me throughout the course.

Presentation related to class discussion - Each of you will do a 10 minute presentation on issues in that dayterm. The format of the presentation is much like that of above justified opinion papers. The purpose of your presentation is to raise questions about the week's readings, to argue for a position about something said in them, or to provide some further background that will contribute to the learning of your fellow students. Your presentation is meant to be a discussion starter. You need do no additional reading other than the required readings for class for this presentation, but you may if you wish. You will not be required to hand in a justified opinion paper at the time in the semester when you are giving a presentation. Thus although there are six short papers listed on the syllabus, you will be required to write five. Presentations will not be formally graded, but will be considered as part of your class participation.

Term paper - You will write a research term paper of 15-20 doubled spaced typewritten pages pursuing in greater depth than we are able to in class some topic related to ethics and international affairs and development that particularly interests you. For this paper you are expected to find articles and books in addition to required readings for class on your subject. I will do my best to help you figure out how to find materials on your topic. You're paper should not be merely a book report, however, but should state a thesis and argue for it. On November 4 you will hand in a two page term paper proposal. In this proposal you will state a question which you aim to answer in your paper, and you will explain how you plan to go about answering that question. You will attach a bibliography of articles and books you have identified as directly pertinent to answering that question. Proposals will not be graded; their purpose is for me to give you comments and guidance on your project.

Term paper presentations - We will devote time in the last two sessions of our class for you to present briefly to others in the class the question and argument of your term paper. Thus you will prepare a seven minute presentation on your paper for one of these sessions.

GRADING - Your final grade will be apportioned roughly as follows: 15% class participation; 40% term paper; 45% justified opinion papers. Included in class participation is your attendance and contribution to the learning of others by means of class presentations and participation in discussion.