INT2012 Global Justice: War, Poverty and Migration
- Course codeINT2012
- Number of credits10
- Teaching semester2025 Spring
- Language of instructionEnglish
- CampusLillehammer
- Required prerequisite knowledge
None
The course provides an introduction to moral issues that transcend national borders, with a focus on migration, war and poverty. What moral responsibility do we have for people in other states or societies? How should we act in the face of global problems such as war, poverty and migration? What does a just world order look like?
The course is usually divided into three main parts:
War and terrorism
- Can war be defended morally, if so, under what conditions?
- Are the laws of war fair?
- Is terrorism always wrong?
Migration and refugees
- What rules should regulate the movement of people across national borders?
- What is the difference between a migrant and a refugee, and is it morally relevant?
- Should climate refugees be recognized as a separate category - and do some states have more responsibility for receiving these than others?
Poverty and inequality
- How much should prosperous states and individuals sacrifice to fight poverty?
- Should we have different ideals for fair distribution of wealth within countries and between countries?
- Do countries have a special responsibility to remedy suffering they themselves have contributed to?
Learning Outcome
Upon passing the course, the student has achieved the following learning outcome:
The student
- knows the central ethical issues and problems raised by war, poverty and migration
- knows the prominent theories and arguments to address these problems
- is familiar with selected classical texts that address these issues
- is familiar with a variety of analytical methods used in moral philosophy and political theory
- knows how to independently expand and update their knowledge in these areas
The student
- can explain central problems and debates in political theory and moral philosophy to analyse ethical dilemmas related to war, poverty and migration
- can discuss and evaluate different solutions to these problems in a critical and analytic manner
- can articulate and defend their own viewpoints and positions regarding these problems
- can apply their knowledge of moral philosophy and political theory to other (professional and public) debates
- can adjust their professional practice in response to feedback and supervision
- can orient themselves in the relevant literature, both primary and secondary, and follow standard professional norms of attribution and reference
- can write an argumentative essay on a chosen topic in moral philosophy and political theory
The student:
- understands how issues from moral philosophy and political philosophy are present both in concrete everyday situations and in larger questions about the value and development of society
- can analyse philosophical texts and evaluate philosophical arguments
- can write academic essays on complex issues
- can plan and carry out independent academic work
- can discuss complex problems, both orally and in writing
- is familiar with novel ideas and innovation processes in philosophy
- can evaluate normative arguments
Two very short response papers (approx. 400 words) to be presented in class.
One essay (approx. 1200 words) intended to be preparatory for the exam paper.
Attendance at three seminars.
| Form of assessment | Grading scale | Grouping | Duration of assessment | Support materials | Proportion | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Written assignment | ECTS - A-F | Individual | Semester(s) |
| 100% |
At the end of the course students will submit an exam essay, which may be a further development of the written mandatory essay. The length of the exam essay will be announced at the beginning of class.
Grading according to ECTS-system on scale A-E for passed and F for failed.