POLS 110. Ethics and International Relations (IR)

Ethical questions are central to the study of international relations. Does justice extend beyond the borders of states? Do we have moral obligations to distant strangers? Are states obligated to obey international law? When, if ever, is war just, and who should punish war crimes? This honors seminar examines the relationship between international normative theory and the role that norms and ethics actually play in contemporary international relations across different theoretical perspectives such as realism and constructivism. Topics include ethical reasoning in global politics; state sovereignty, national self-determination, and secession; just war, human rights, and humanitarian intervention; pluralism and cosmopolitanism; international racial justice; AI and platform governance; and transnational environmental responsibility, including the ethics of climate change.
Barring exceptional circumstances, all honors seminars should be taken for 2-credits. Political Science honors seminars are reserved for political science honors students, and when space allows, political science majors. Please check with department administrator for questions regarding this policy, or if you are in need of an exception.
Prerequisite: POLS 004
Social Sciences.
2 Credits.
Eligible for PPE.
Fall 2026. Paddon Rhoads.
Catalog chapter: Political Science
Department website: swarthmore.edu/political-science

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