Institute of the Weltethos Foundation
at the University of Tübingen

First slide

Ethics in International Relations

International diversity or earth day and international world culture as a concept of diversity and crowd cooperation symbol as diverse hands holding together the planet earth.
Lecturer Dr. Christopher Gohl 
Type of seminarWeekly seminar, Master’s seminar
Hours per week
Language English 
Date/ TimeTuesdays, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. c.t.
Start: 2024, October 15th
Location Weltethos-Institut, Hintere Grabenstraße 26, 72070 Tübingen 
PrerequisitesBachelor’s degree
Proof of performance/ form of examination  
ECTS-Credits 
Active participation, presentation, term paper  
Up to 6 ECTS, for students of political science up to 8 ECTS 
Registration To register, please send an email including your name, date and place of birth, student number, and address to lehre@weltethos-institut.org. Please also indicate your major concentration and how many semesters of study you have completed. 
Registration deadline 2024, October 7th
Maximum number of participants 24 

Literature

  • Amstutz, Mark R. (2018): International Ethics. Concepts, Theories, and Cases in Global Politics (5. Aufl.). Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.  
  • Brown, Garrett W. & Held, David (Hrsg.) (2010): The Cosmopolitan Reader. Cambridge: Polity. 
  • Kant, I. (2010). Idea of Universal History with a Cosmopolitan Purpose. In Brown, Garret W. & Held, David (Hrsg.) (2010): The Cosmopolitan Reader. (S. 17–26). Cambridge: Polity.  
  • Kissinger, Henry (2014): World Order. Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History. London: Penguin Group.   
  • Küng, Hans (1997): A Global Ethic for Global Politics and Economics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.   
  • Shapcott, Richard (2010): International Ethics. A Critical Introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press. 

Description

As an inquiry into responsible solutions for global problems, Ethics in International Relations is an opportunity to explore the role of governments, economic forces, and civil society in shaping a future world we have reason to value. At the core of global transformations towards a new world order lie questions about values and principles – what is good or harmful, right or wrong, virtuous or vicious, just or unjust, or legitimate or illegitimate. The seminar introduces students to an understanding of the role of values in shaping identities; the function of norms and institutions in organizing collective action; to discussions of the changing world order, and to the idea of historical progress. Participants of the seminar select three contemporary challenges of a globalized world – in typical examples, the challenges of climate change, of forced migration, the justice of wars and interventions, the future constitution of Europe, or the responsibility of business for global sustainable development –, review these challenges from an ethical point of view, and learn how to exercise their own ethical judgement. How can ethical reflection help us to live together in a shared world?