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What are the relationships between, peace, war, and justice ? This block course will meet only six times of two periods each during the semester, not every week. It will introduce students to international ethics, based on current wars as well as historical examples, such as Jan Palach's January 1969 suicide in Prague which shook the Czechoslovak nation. That student of Charles University burned himself on Vaclavske namesti protesting the Soviet occupation of August 1968. What was his moral message ?
The central ethical themes which shall be developed are : — Moral theories — Just War — Just Peace — Pacifism and non-violence — Care eihics and Human Rights, 'thin' and 'thick' morality, justice, and universal norms — Truth and morality (ambiguity & ambivalence of moral norms and values, personal vs. nation-state morality, facts vs. 'fake news') Last update: Allan Pierre, prof. (04.02.2026)
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Teaching goals Students will become familiar with concepts and theories helping them to develop their own thoughts about the realities, impediments, and challenges of international morality. They will be encouraged to think deeper about their personal moral ideals and critically evaluate philosophers' moral reasoning. Last update: Allan Pierre, prof. (04.02.2026)
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Course outline What are the relationships between, peace, war, and justice ? This block course will meet only six times of two periods each during the semester, not every week. It will introduce students to international ethics, based on current wars as well as historical examples, such as Jan Palach's January 1969 suicide in Prague which shook the Czechoslovak nation. That student of Charles University burned himself on Vaclavske namesti protesting the Soviet occupation of August 1968. What was his moral message ? In 1938, Gandhi wrote an open letter to the Czechoslovak president Edvard Benes. The British and French prime ministers had just signed the Munich agreement whereby their ally Czechoslovakia ceded its Sudeten to the German Reich as demanded by Hitler who was "defending the German majority" in those lands. While this policy of 'appeasement' was applauded then, it has been criticized to this day. So, two weeks after Munich, Gandhi strongly urged Benes to adopt a policy of non-violence. While Czechoslovakia had been abandoned by Great Britain and France, it would save its soul by renouncing violence. Through a large sweep of interpreted history, we will identify a limited number of ethical principles or precepts which have been present throughout the ages. Just War theory – the oldest principle in international relations – exhibits a crucial feature: it appears as a contradiction as such, justice and war being ethical antinomies. But its nature also reminds us that purity in principles rarely obtains. Typically, a necessary moral compromise between conflicting rules has to be made. How can one achieve justice while resorting to war's inevitable ugliness ? How can one escape making one's hands dirty when using weapons – even when our goals are good and pure, this as a soldier, a general, or a politician ? My pragmatic argument: it is better to try to improve the world somewhat, by taking stock of historical rules for acting realistically well (a 'realist' perspective), rather than defining an ideal ethical system towards which everyone should then strive (an 'idealist' view). The central ethical themes which shall be developed are : — Moral theories — Just War and Just Peace
— Care ehics, Human Rights, 'thin' and 'thick' morality, justice, and universal norms
Last update: Allan Pierre, prof. (04.02.2026)
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Student work evaluation Class attendance and participation: attendance is mandatory, with one unexcused absence tolerated. Questions, criticisms, and class discussions will be encouraged. Evaluation: 20% of final grade (20 points maximum). Final exam (80 points maximum): given on one day in one period of several hours, this between 11 and 15 May 2026, depending on students’ wishes and on logistical imperatives (to be discussed in May). The form of the exam is a 15 minute individual oral exam with 15 minutes of individual preparation just before, this while another student has her/his exam. Students will be allowed to consult their course documents: course slides, required readings, personal notes, including on their personal computers; however the exam is strictly individual and no outside help can be used. Last update: Allan Pierre, prof. (04.02.2026)
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Required readings Pierre Allan & Alexis Keller (2012), "Is a Just Peace Possible Without Thin and Thick Recognition ?", in Thomas Lindemann & Erik Ringmar (eds.), Struggle for Recognition in International Politics, Boulder, Col.: Paradigm Publishers, pp.71-84. Stephen T. Asma (2013), Against Fairness, Chicago: Chicago University Press, (Chapter 1 “Even Jesus Had a Favorite”, pp. 1-20/notes 171-3; Chapter 5 “The Circle of Favors: Global Perspectives”, pp. 99-114/notes 187-90; Chapter 7 “Because You're Mine, I Walk the Line”, pp. 151-170/notes 193-6). Michael W. Doyle (2006), "One World, Many Peoples: International Justice in John Rawls's The Law Of Peoples," Perspectives on Politics, Vol. 4/No. 1, pp. 109-120. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1938), "If I were a Czech", in Harijan, October 15. Carol Gilligan (1982, 1993), In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women's Development, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, pp. 24-25, 62-3, 100-5. Virginia Held (2006), The Ethics of Care: Personal, Political, and Global, Oxford: Oxford University Press, (Chapter 10: "Care and Justice in the Global Context", pp. 91-113/notes 188-190.) Thomas Hobbes (1651), Leviathan, New York: Norton, 1997 (chapter 13: "Of the Natural Condition of Mankind, as concerning their Felicity, and Misery", pp. 68-72.) Immanuel Kant (1795), On Perpetual Peace, extracts (pp. 11-24 & 29-33.) Linda Kinstler (2026), "The Theory That Gives Trump a Blank Check for Aggression: The true meaning of 'flexible realism' -- abroad and home", New York Times Magazone, January 8. Hans Küng (1997), A Global Ethic for Global Politics and Economics, London: SCM Press, (Chapter 4: "A Global Ethic as a Foundation for Global Society", pp. 91-113.) Chenyang Li (1994), "The Confucian Concept of Jen and the Feminist Ethics of Care: A comparative study", Hypathia, vol. 9, no. 1, pp 70-89. Robert W. McElroy (1992), Morality and American Foreign Policy: The Role of Ethics in International Affairs, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press (Chapter 1: "The Debate on Morality and International Relations", pp. 3-29.) Brian Orend (2006), The Morality of War, Petersborough, Ontario: Broadview Press (Chapter 1: "A Sweeping History of Just War Theory, pp. 9-30.) John Rawls (1999), The Law of Peoples, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, (Chapter 9.3 "Kazanistan: A Decent Hierarchical People", pp. 75-8.) Thucydides (431 BC), The Peloponesian War, extracts (Pericles' funeral oration & Melian dialogue, 9 pp.) Michael Walzer (1994), Thick and Thin: Moral Argument at Home and Abroad, Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, (Chapter 1: "Moral Minimalism", pp. 1-19; Chapter 4: "Justice and Tribalism: Minimal Morality In International Politics", pp. 63-83.) Michael Walzer (2022), "Our Ukraine", Dissent Magazine, March 2nd. Max Weber (1919), "Politics as a Vocation", in The Vocation Lectures, Indianapolis: IN: Hackett Publishing Co., pp. 22-end. Last update: Allan Pierre, prof. (04.02.2026)
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Block course open to advanced Bachelor’s and to Master's students (JTB212 worth 6 ECTS) of the Summer 2026 semester room C420 Jinonice, Faculty of Social Sciences (FSV), U Krize 8, Prague 5 1. Wednesday 18 February 2026 + Exam on final teaching week of 11 to 15 May 2026. Oral exam with precise schedule to be fixed according to students’ preferences and logistical imperatives.
Use of generative AI tools: The use and citation of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT or MS Copilot) in seminar papers and other coursework must comply with the decrees of the IMS Director No. 7/2023 and 9/2023. Generative AI tools may be used unless explicitly prohibited by the instructor. However, they may not be used to generate substantial sections of the text or replace the student’s own intellectual contribution. The student remains fully responsible for any content generated with assistance of AI tools. Presenting AI-generated content, whether verbatim, rephrased, or only slightly modified, as one’s own work constitutes plagiarism. Every submitted paper must include a transparent statement specifying which generative AI tools were used, in which stage of the work they were employed, and how they were used, or confirming that no generative AI tools were used. If this statement is missing or incomplete, the instructor is not permitted to accept the paper for evaluation. Unless the instructor explicitly prohibits the use of generative AI tools, the decision to use or not to use them rests fully with the student. The student has the right to request that the instructor does not use AI assistance for evaluating their work. Last update: Allan Pierre, prof. (04.02.2026)
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