International Ethics

A fourth edition of this book is now available. Now in a comprehensively revised and updated edition, this text cogently demonstrates that moral values and ethical reasoning are indispensable in global politics. Mark R. Amstutz explores two distinct dimensions of international political morality: the role of moral norms in foreign affairs and the ethical foundation of the rules and structures of global society. The author considers important conceptual and philosophical challenges posed by the plurality of values in the international community, but his primary goal is to describe and assess the nature, role, and impact of international political morality on international relations. Through the use of balanced arguments and a wide-ranging selection of case studies, Amstutz illustrates the place of moral norms in international relations. He presents the concepts, theories, methods, and traditions of ethical analysis and then applies them to case studies in the areas of political reconciliation, human rights, war, unconventional military operations, foreign intervention, economic sanctions, justice among states, and global justice. His clearly written study will be of special interest to students and practitioners of international affairs who are concerned with the role of political morality and ethical judgment in global affairs.