We are pleased to present the Fall 2018 issue of Ethics & International Affairs!
The centerpiece of this issue is a roundtable guest-edited by James Pattison on the ethics of overlooked alternatives to war, with contributions from Alex J. Bellamy, Corneliu Bjola, Cécile Fabre, Michael L. Gross, and James Pattison. Additionally, the issue contains an essay by Ian Hurd on the empire of international legalism; a feature by Alejandra Mancilla evaluating the moral force of territorial claims in Antarctica; a review essay by George DeMartino on sensible globalization in an illiberal era; and book reviews by Eleanor Gordon, Marcus Carlsen Häggrot, Shadi Mokhtari, and Serena Parekh.
ESSAY
The Empire of International Legalism
Ian Hurd
In this essay, Ian Hurd uses the provocative term "empire" to show how the international legal system is also a political system based on the dominance of law over politics for governments around the world.
ROUNDTABLE: ALTERNATIVES TO WAR
Introduction [Full text]
James Pattison
Some of the most controversial foreign policy issues in the first years of the Trump administration have involved alternatives to war. This roundtable seeks to improve our understanding of the ethics of some of these alternatives.
The Case for Foreign Electoral Subversion [Full text]
Cécile Fabre
In this essay, Cécile Fabre argues that foreign electoral subversion may be justified as a means to prevent or end large-scale human rights violations under certain conditions.
Covert Positive Incentives as an Alternative to War
James Pattison
James Pattison writes that covert incentives as a foreign policy tool are often morally preferable to both overt positive incentives and covert force, and that as such there is a prima facie duty to use such incentives over these other measures.
The Ethics of Countering Digital Propaganda
Corneliu Bjola
Corneliu Bjola draws on the concept of moral authority to offer an original framework for how states can respond to digital disinformation campaigns.
Backfire: The Dark Side of Nonviolent Resistance
Michael L. Gross
Drawing on case studies from Ireland, East Timor, and Israel Michael L. Gross demonstrates how the tactic of backfire can offer insurgents and national liberation movements significant strategic gains. He then examines the ethical issues that arise from this tactic.
Ending Atrocity Crimes: The False Promise of Fatalism
Alex J. Bellamy
Some commentators suggest that the best way to minimize harm in atrocity situations is to let the state win as quickly as possible. Could this be a viable alternative to other options, including outside military intervention? This essay suggests not.
FEATURE
The Moral Limits of Territorial Claims in Antarctica
Alejandra Mancilla
In this article, Alejandra Mancilla evaluates the moral weight of the initial territorial claims to Antarctica, which form a cornerstone of the Antarctic Treaty. This assessment serves as a starting point for rethinking the territorial status of the White Continent.
REVIEW ESSAY
Reconstructing Globalization in an Illiberal Era
George F. DeMartino
George F. DeMartino examines recent books from Dani Rodrick and Joseph Stiglitz, both of which press the case for a reconstructed globalization that generates benefits for all but offer diverging prescriptions for how to achieve it.
REVIEWS [All full text]
Conflict-Related Violence Against Women: Transforming Transition
Aisling Swaine
Review by Eleanor Gordon
The overarching aim of Aisling Swaine's recent book is to empirically and theoretically expand our understanding of conflict-related violence against women. The breadth and depth of her analysis, combined with her extensive experiential knowledge gained as a practitioner, sets this book apart.
Toward a Cosmopolitan Ethics of Mobility: The Migrant's-Eye View of the World
Alex Sager
Review by Marcus Carlsen Häggrot
In this book, Alex Sager challenges the "methodological nationalism" that dominates debates in migration ethics and offers a new way to think normatively about mobility and borders.
Evidence for Hope: Making Human Rights Work in the 21st Century
Kathryn Sikkink
Review by Shadi Mokhtari
Kathryn Sikkink's recent book introduces a set of new ideas and approaches for assessing human rights' effectiveness that, like her past groundbreaking work, will likely be debated, developed, and critiqued for years to come.
Refuge: Rethinking Refugee Policy in a Changing World
Alexander Betts and Paul Collier
Review by Serena Parekh
This book helps us to adopt a much broader perspective on the current refugee crisis and what it might take to adequately address it. It is a clearly written analysis of how we got to where we are, what the current situation is, and where we ought to go from here.
Briefly Noted: Psychology of a Superpower: Security and Dominance in U.S. Foreign Policy
