Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LH Just War
School	Phil, Theology and Religion
Department	Philosophy
Module Code	09 29256
Module Lead	Dr Michael Rush
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-20 hours Seminar-8 hours Guided independent study-172 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module is an introduction to contemporary debates about the ethics of war, addressing some fundamental questions in applied ethics. Can war ever be morally justified? Are there moral constraints on the conduct in war? Do international laws regulating armed conflicts have moral foundations? The module focuses on just war theory as the dominant view about the ethics of war. Topics covered include theories of individual self-defence and their relation to collective self-defence, objections to just war theory, preventive wars, the moral and legal status of terrorism, and the ethical challenges posed by new forms of warfare (e.g. drones, robots, and cyberwarfare).
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: - identify and explain the most influential views about the ethics of war; - articulate and evaluate relevant philosophical arguments; - show an understanding of the relation between facts and values in moral controversies; - demonstrate the ability to think critically about the subject; - demonstrate the ability to communicate ideas clearly and effectively.
Assessment	29256-05 : 1000 word Essay : Coursework (40%) 29256-06 : 2000 word Essay : Coursework (60%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessments: - 1 x 1000 word essay which assesses understanding of key texts and theories. (40%) - 1 x 2000 word essay: of a more discursive nature, which assesses independent research skills more than the shorter piece. (60%) Reassessment: - Resubmission of failed component, if this results in failure of the module as a whole.
Other	None
Reading List