Students may, subject to Faculty approval, have the opportunity to resit this module, normally during the supplementary examination period. For further clarification please contact the Teaching Programme Administrator in the Department of International Politics.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
Describe and evaluate Norbert Elias's study of 'the civilizing proces'
Discuss the significance of Elias's approach for a comparative sociology of states-systems
Discuss the significance of Elias's approach for the study of the modern states-system
Describe and analyse different forms of harm in world politics
Describe recent writings on the significance of the principle, 'do not harm', for a contemporary global ethic
Analyse the extent to which there is an overlapping global moral consensus about the desirability of reducing violent and non-violent harm
Compare the modern states-system with earlier international systems, and describe any differences with respect to dominant ideas about cruelty and human suffering
Demonstrate through written work and seminar discussion an ability to synthesise conceptual analyses of harm and historical approaches to harm in international politics
Brief description
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of recent efforts to develop linkages between Historical
Sociology and International Relations Theory. Particular attention will be paid to:
Norbert Elias's analysis of changing attitudes to violent and non-violent harm in Western societies over the last five centuries
how Elias's approach can be used to compare international systems
how far modern attitudes to cruelty and human suffering have shaped the modern international system
whether the modern international differs from past international systems in aiming to reduce or eliminate violent and non-violent harm.
Content
The module begins with a critical analysis of Elias's civilisation and violence in the domestic and international poltics of modern Western states. It then explores the extent to which there is a growing overlapping moral consensus in world politics about the desirability of eradicating violent and non-violent forms of harm. Comparisons with the Ancient Greek city-state system and medieval international society are used to discuss whether modern international relations are distinctive in their approach to eliminating or reducing the varieties of harm.
Reading Lists
Books
A Linklater (1998) The Transformation of Political Community
Polity Press, Cambridge
Elias, Norbert. (1998.) The Norbert Elias reader :a biographical selection /edited by Johan Goudsblom and Stephen Mennell. 0631193081 ** Recommended Text
Bull, Hedley "Anarchical Society, The"
Macmillan,London 333199146 Charlesworth, Hilary Boundaries of International Law
Manchester U.P. 719037395 Clark, Ian Classical theories of international relations
Macmillan
Rorty, Richard "Contingency,Irony and Solidarity"
Camb.U.P. 521367816 Brown, Chris International Relations Theory
edition n.e. . Harvester Wheatsheaf 745015344 Brown, Chris International Relations Theory
Harvester Wheatsheaf 745012248 Cosmopolitan Citizenship
Macmillan 333716825 John Boli and George M. Thomas Constructing world culture : international nongovernmental organizations since 1875
Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press
International Relations Theory Today
Polity P. 745611664 Nussbaum, Martha C. Women and Human Development
Camb.U.P. 521660866 Fletcher, Jonathan Violence and Civilization
Polity P. 745618790 Linklater, Andrew Transformation of Political Community
Polity P. 745613365 Linklater, Andrew Transformation of Political Community
Polity P. 745613365 Linklater, Andrew Transformation of Political Community
Polity P. 745613365 Theory of International Relations
Allen & U. 41720083 Carter, April. The political theory of global citizenship /
Routledge, 415169542 April Carter The political theory of global citizenship
London; New York : Routledge
Taylor, Charles Multiculturalism
edition n.e.of "Multiculturalism and the Politics of Recognition" . Princeton U.P. 691037795 Re-imagining Political Community
Polity P. 745619819 Waller, Michael Political loyalty and the nation state
Routledge 415369738 Gallie, W.B. Philosophers of Peace and War
Camb.U.P. 521217792 Perpetual Peace
MIT P. 262522357 Shute, Stephen On human rights
BasicBooks 465052231 Warnock, G.J. Object of Morality
Methuen 416299008 McLennan, Gregor Idea of the Modern State
Open U.P. 335105971 Vincent, R.J. Human Rights and International Relations
Camb.U.P. 521339952 Historical Sociology and International Relations
Camb.U.P. 521004764 Jackson, Robert H. The global covenant :
Oxford University Press,
Martin Wight ; edited with an introd. by Hedley Bull Systems of states
Leicester : Leicester University Press
Cohen, Stanley States of Denial
Blackwell Publishers,US 745623921 Social Theory and the Politics of Identity
Blackwell,U.S. 155786473X Social Theory and the Politics of Identity
Blackwell,U.S. 155786473X Wheeler, Nicholas J. Saving Strangers
edition n.e. . Oxf.U.P. 199253102 Parekh, Bhikhu Rethinking Multiculturalism
Macmillan 333608828 Archibugi, Daniele Re-imagining political community : studies in cosmopolitan democracy
Polity Press
Jackson, Robert "Global Covenant, The"
Oxf.U.P. 198296258 Elias, Norbert "Germans, The"
edition n.e. . Polity P. 745620094 Donelan, Michael D. Elements of International Political Theory
Oxf.U.P. 198278519 Diplomatic Investigations
Allen & U. 43270050 Held, David Democracy and the Global Order
Polity P. 745600565 Held, David Democracy and the Global Order
Polity P. 745600565 Anderson-Gold, Sharon Cosmopolitanism and Human Rights
Univ.Wales P. 708316727 Women's Rights,Human Rights
Routledge 415909953 Kymlicka, Will "Liberalism,Community and Culture"
edition n.e. . Oxf.U.P. 198278713 translated [from the German] by H.B. Nisbet Kant's political writings
London : Cambridge University Press
Shapcott, Richard "Justice,Community and Dialogue in International Relations"
Camb.U.P. 521784476 Dunne, Timothy Inventing International Society
Macmillan 333737873 ** Supplementary Text
Giddens, Anthony A contemporary critique of historical materialism/ Vol. 2 : The nation-state and violence.
Polity Press 745600328 Geras, Norman Contract of Mutual Indifference
edition n.e. . Verso 1859842291 Rorty, Richard "Contingency,Irony and Solidarity"
Camb.U.P. 521367816 Bauman, Zygmunt Modernity and the Holocaust
edition n.e. . Polity P. 745609309 Johan Goudsblom and Stephen Mennell. The Norbert Elias reader : a biographical selection
Oxford, UK ; Malden, MA : Blackwell Publishers
Bart van Steenbergen The condition of citizenship
London : Sage Publications
Natan Sznaider The compassionate temperament : care and cruelty in modern society
Lanham, Md. ; Oxford : Rowman & Littlefield
Norbert Elias; translated by Edmund Jephcott. The civilizing process
New York : Urizen Books
Wheeler, Nicholas J. Saving Strangers
Oxf.U.P. 198296215 Rights of Peoples
Oxf.U.P. 198256248 Elias, Norbert Reflections on a Life
Polity P. 745613837 Held, David Political Theory Today
Polity P. 745608566 Dennis Smith Norbert Elias and modern social theory
London : Sage Publications
Linklater, Andrew International relations : critical concepts in political science
Routledge 415201373 Walker, R.B.J. Inside/Outside
Camb.U.P. 052136423X Handbook of Citizenship Studies
Sage Pubns. 076196858X Barkan, Elazar "Guilt of Nations, The"
edition n.e. . Johns Hopkins U.P. 801868076 Foucault, Michel Foucault Reader
edition n.e. . Penguin 140124861 Feminism as Critique
Polity P. 745603653 Ethics and Foreign Policy
Allen & U.(Australia) 1863733965 Smith, Karen E. Ethics and Foreign Policy
Camb.U.P. 521009308 Mackie, J.L. Ethics
edition n.e. . Penguin 140135588 Holden, Barry Ethical Dimensions of Global Change
Macmillan 333650719 Jim George Discourses of global politics : a critical (re)introduction to international relations
Boulder, Colo : Lynne Rienner Publishers,
Baylis, John Dilemmas of World Politics
Oxf.U.P. 198273509 Phillips, Anne Democracy and Difference
Polity P. 745610978 James Mayall World politics : progress and its limits
Cambridge : Polity ; Malden, Mass. : published in the USA by Blackwell
Heater, Derek World Citizenship and Government
Macmillan 333602315 Nussbaum, Martha C. Women and Human Development
edition n.e. . Camb.U.P. 521003857 Ignatieff, Michael Virtual War
edition n.e. . Vintage 99289806 Burchill, Scott Theories of International Relations
edition 2r.e. . Palgrave 033391418X Mennell, Stephen Norbert Elias
edition n.e. . University College Dublin P. 1900621207 Krieken, Robert Van Norbert Elias
Routledge 415104165 Carr, Edward Hallett Nationalism and After
Macmillan,London 333057562 Kymlicka, Will Multicultural Citizenship
edition n.e. . Oxf.U.P. 198290918 Habermas, Jurgen Moral Consciousness and Communicative Action
edition n.e. . Polity P. 745611044 Linklater, Andrew Men and Citizens in the Theory of International Relations
edition r.e. . Macmillan Academic & Professional 333524365 Schnabel Kosovo and the challenge of humanitarian intervention :
United Nations University Press, 9280810502 Young, Iris Marion Justice and the Politics of Difference
Princeton U.P. 691023158 Benhabib, Seyla Communicative Ethics Controversy
MIT P. 262521520 Tilly, Charles "Coercion,Capital and European States,A.D.990-1990"
edition n.e. . Blackwell,U.S. 1557863687 O'Neill, Onora Bounds of Justice
Camb.U.P. 521447445 Evans, Malcolm D. Blackstone's International Law Documents
edition 2r.e. . Blackstone P. 1854313576