4
EC 426: Questions of War
Fall 2007
Dr. Ellen Ott Marshall Tuesdays 8:30 – 11:20 am
Office: Craig 220 Craig 110
Phone: 909-447-2524 (ext. 2524) Office Hours: T, F 2:00 – 4:00[*]
Email: {please note that I do not check my email evenings or weekends}
Course Description
Traditionally, ethicists refer to the debate over the moral justification of war as “the question of war.” Increasingly, however, ethicists find themselves addressing multiple questions of war, including but not limited to this classical formulation. This course studies contemporary exchanges over the classic question, and also examines emerging issues such as the ethics of exit, the use of torture, genocide and humanitarian intervention, and the reality of child soldiers.
Course Objectives
1. To provide students with resources for engaging these complex questions in an informed and thoughtful way.
2. To facilitate an environment that encourages careful deliberation, allows students to wrestle with ambiguity, and fosters constructive dialogue.
Course Requirements
Preparation and Participation (20%)
Weekly preparation includes thorough reading of the assignment and engagement in class discussion. I will invite a self-assessment from each of you at the end of the semester. If you tend to be a quiet student, you are welcome to submit a reading journal in which you record questions or reactions to the reading and/or class discussion. This will not be graded formally, but it will help me to assess your participation and to learn more about your interaction with the material. In addition to your weekly preparation and participation, I would like each person to help lead discussion one week (for 45 minutes or so). We will work out the logistics for this on the second week of class.
Two Critical Book Reviews (15% each)
On two books of your own choosing, please write a 3-5 page review. In the review, you should provide a summary of the book’s argument and assess its strengths and weaknesses. The writing style should be formal, such that you could submit your review for publication. The reviews are due on the day its text is assigned. These reviews will help me to confirm your understanding of at least two of our texts and to assess your abilities to critical engage them and present your evaluation clearly. Please complete the first review by October 23 and the second by December 4.
Research Paper (50%)
The major project is a standard 20 – 25 page research paper due on December 11. Because this is such a significant portion of your grade, I am happy to give feedback on a rough draft if you submit it by Friday November 13 so that I can return it to you by November 27. If you want feedback from me before Thanksgiving Break, I will need the draft by November 9.
Grading
93-100 = A 80-82 = B- 67-69 = D+
90-92 = A- 77-79 = C+ 63-66 = D
87-89 = B+ 73-76 = C 60-62 = D-
83-86 = B 70-72 = C- Below 60 = F
Marshall’s Grading Rubric
Excellent papers (A-range)
· reflect substantial research into their topic
· state a thesis clearly and defend it well
· are well written (with no grammatical errors) and well organized
· demonstrate an ability not only to explain and integrate concepts, but also to evaluate them critically
· include insights that reflect independent thinking (in addition to description of others’ work)
Good papers (B-range)
· include the necessary pieces (research, thesis, defense), but they are not sufficiently crafted into a cohesive argument
· demonstrate comprehension and integration of material, but do not include sufficient critical, independent insights (i.e., the paper feels more descriptive than critical because it reflects comprehension but not evaluation)
Satisfactory papers (C-range)
· are missing some of the necessary pieces (sufficient research, a clear thesis, a cogent argument)
· reflect a basic understanding of the material covered, but neither integration (application, connections) nor evaluation
Expectations
Attendance: I understand that many of you are juggling careers, families, and other classes in addition to this one. However, absences from class will hurt your grade not because I dock points, but because you miss information and are unable to participate in discussion. Keep in mind that 10% of your final grade is derived from your daily preparation and participation.
Dialogue. Every effort will be made to foster an environment in which each voice is heard and every person treated with respect. I appreciate your contribution toward that aim.
Policy on Late Work: It is very important to me that all students receive the same amount of time to complete an assignment. Therefore, I will not give last-minute extensions. If you anticipate a serious problem with a due date, please see me well in advance (at least two weeks before the due date). If you do not receive an extension in advance and turn in a paper later, you should know that the longer you take, the harder I grade. This translates into losing five points every day that the assignment is late. I will not accept an assignment that is more than one week late.
Incompletes: Unless the circumstances are extraordinary, I will not give incompletes. You should plan to finish the requirements for this course on December 11 so that we can all enjoy the holidays.
Citations: Please give credit to other people’s ideas whether you quote directly or paraphrase. You may use parenthetical references in your short papers, but please use footnotes in your research paper. Because there are some helpful materials on the internet, you may use web-based resources. However, be very careful to provide accurate citations and quotation marks when necessary and to paraphrase carefully rather than quote excessively.
Academic Dishonesty: Plagiarized assignments and assignments that include plagiarism will receive a zero, and students may fail the course. Please refer to the CST statement on academic honesty on page 23 of the “Academic Policy Handbook” and talk with me if you have any questions.
Course Texts (all are available for purchase at Cokesbury and on reserve in the library)
Michael Walzer, Arguing about War
Judith Butler, Precarious Life
Jean Bethke Elshtain, Just War against Terror
Robert Brimlow, What about Hitler?
Nicolaus Mills et al, The New Killing Fields
Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone
Sharon Welch, After Empire
Michael Ignatieff, The Lesser Evil
Additional readings will be placed on electronic and print reserve in the library. The password for electronic reserves is:
Schedule of Readings (subject to change)
9/4 Intro to course
9/11 Elshtain, Just War Against Terror intro, ch. 1 (pp. 1 - 25)
Butler, Precarious Life, ch. 1 (pp. 1 – 18)
Walzer, Arguing about War, ch. 10 (pp. 130 – 142)
Brimlow, What about Hitler?, ch. 4 (pp. 81 – 98)
9/18 Walzer, Arguing about War (entire text)
9/25 Butler, Precarious Life (entire text)
10/2 Elshtain, Just War Against Terror (entire text)
10/9 Responses to Elshtain
Collection of essays on electronic and print reserve.
10/16 Brimlow, What about Hitler? (entire text)
10/23 Two topics: Doctrine of Preemption and Ethics of Exit
Collection of essays on electronic and print reserve.
10/30 Ignatieff, The Lesser Evil (entire text)
11/6 Mills et al, New Killing Fields: preface, ch. 1, parts 2, 3, 4
View: Hotel Rwanda (even if you have seen it before, please watch it again)
11/13 Mills et al, New Killing Fields: ch. 2, 3, and part 5
11/20 No Class
11/27 Beah, A Long Way Gone (entire text)
12/4 Welch, After Empire (entire text)
12/11 wrap up
Final Papers Due
[*] You may sign up for an appointment on my door (2nd floor of Craig). If these times do not work for you, just let me know and we will find another.