Ethics & International Affairs Volume 9 (1995): Articles: The Uses of Tragedy: Reinhold Niebuhr's Theory of History and International Ethics [Abstract]

Dec 3, 1995

As Smith points out, Reinhold Niebuhr's political ethic is closely linked to his philosophy of history. This view of history blends a dualistic understanding of human nature and rigorous contingency of experience - all sobered by a creative sense of tragedy. Niebuhr's modest sensibility was forged amid the early catastrophes of the century and fell on fertile ground early in the Cold War. But in the ironic wake of that superpower struggle there is much in Niebuhr's anitriumphalism to commend to today's international relations theorists and practitioners. Following Augustine, Niebuhr offers no escape from the complexities and contingencies of history, but neither does he view history as gloomily fixed. Rather, Niebuhr's complex and often contradictory sense of historical destiny reflects a sober hope for a more just and peaceful world order.

To read or purchase the full text of this article, click here.

You may also like

OCT 29, 2021 Journal

Ethics & International Affairs Volume 35.3 (Fall 2021)

The highlight of this issue is a book symposium organized by Peter Balint on Ned Dobos’s "Ethics, Security, and the War Machine," featuring contributions ...

President Barack Obama chairs a UN Security Council meeting, September 2009, New York, NY. <br>CREDIT: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barack_Obama_chairs_a_United_Nations_Security_Council_meeting.jpg">White House/Pete Souza/Public Domain</a>

OCT 7, 2020 Podcast

The United Nations at 75: Looking Back to Look Forward, Episode 1, with David M. Malone

David M. Malone, rector of United Nations University, speaks about the Security Council, the Sustainable Development Goals, peacekeeping, and more. How can the UN continue ...

OCT 2, 2020 Journal

Ethics & International Affairs Volume 34.3 (Fall 2020)

At the core of this issue is a collection of essays organized and guest-edited by Margaret P. Karns called "The United Nations at Seventy-Five: Looking ...