International Relations and Political Philosophy

Dr. David Lorenzo

Office: 271305

2939-3091 x51305

Overview

This seminar explores discussions of international relations from a selection of works in political philosophy drawn mainly (though not exclusively) from the Western tradition. It focuses on understandings of human nature, the character of the state, understandings of power relations, the nature of war, descriptions of international political economy and considerations of the role of ethics and morality in the conduct of international diplomacy and decisions regarding war. It also explores the philosophical origins of liberal, Marxist and realist theories.

Objectives

  1. To grasp the various ways in which international relations, including such topics as war, balances of power, the nature of international hierarchy and the state, have been understood in the larger political science literature.
  2. To understand how various ways of thinking about international relations have their roots in philosophical understandings of human nature, the state and economics.
  3. To understand the similarities and differences among various philosophical treatments of international relations.
  4. To explore more deeply various ways of thinking about the state and conceptualizing its place in international relations.

Requirements

  1. A five page paper, due the week of November 10, which outlines a question or problem arising from the ideas of a particular philosopher. Worth 25% of total grade.
  2. A fifteen page paper, due at the end of the term, which addresses some broad question arising from the writings of one or more of the philosophers under discussion. Worth 60% of total grade.
  3. Attendance and in-class discussion. Worth 15% of total grade.

Class Schedule:

Week of September 15: Introduction

Week of September 22: Sun-tze and Lord Shang

The Art of War and The Book of Lord Shang

Week of September 29: Thucydides,

The Peloponnesian War (1.21-3, 2.34-46 (Funeral Oration), 2.50-54 (The Plague), 3.36-49 (The Mytilenian Debate), 5.84-116 (The Melian Dialogue).

Week of October 6: Plato and Aristotle:

The Republic (Books II-IV), TheLaws(Book 1) and The Politics (Books 1, 3 and 7)

Week of October 13: Augustineand Aquinas

The City of God(Bks I, IV, VI [sections 17-24], XIX [sections 11-17]), Summa Theologica (II-II, Q 40; II-II, Q 64, articles 6-8)

Week of October 20: Machiavelli

The Prince (chapters 1-3, 5-6, 8-9, 15-19, 21, 24-26),The Discourses(I.2-14)

Week of October 27: Vitoria and Erasmus

De Indis De Jure Belli, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis

Week of October Nov. 3:Hugo Grotius and Samuel Pufendorf

The Law of War and Peace, On the Duties of Man and Citizen

Week of November 10:Thomas Hobbes

Leviathan(chaps 13-14, 17-18, 21)

Week of November 17: John Locke

Second Treatise (chaps. 1-3, 7-9, 16)

Week of November 24J.J. Rousseau

The State of War, Second Discourse on the Origins of Inequality

Week of December 1: Edmund Burke,

Reflections on the Revolution in France

Week of December 8: Immanuel Kant

Perpetual Peace, Essay on Theory and Practice

Week of December 15: G.W.F. Hegel:

The Philosophy of Right(III.iii.a.i-III.iii.c [paragraphs 272-360])

Week of December 22: V.I. Lenin

Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism

Week of December 29: Michael Walzer

Just and Unjust Wars

Week of January 6: John Rawls

The Law of Peoples

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