99. In 1999 the then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan asked, ‘…if humanitarian intervention is, indeed, an unacceptable assault on sovereignty, how should we respond to a Rwanda, to a Srebrenica – to gross and systematic violations of human rights that a
Please make sure u use the harvard referencing system : http://www.westminster.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/178101/Referencing-Your-Work-guide.pdf
Don’t go over 25000 words It can be 10 % up or down !
The essay question is :
In 1999 the then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan asked, ‘…if humanitarian intervention is, indeed, an unacceptable assault on sovereignty, how should we respond to a Rwanda, to a Srebrenica – to gross and systematic violations of human rights that affect every precept of our common humanity?’. Reflecting on the controversies and questions raised during the lectures and your own reading, address Annan’s question.
You may choose to answer his question in any way you choose but be sure to demonstrate your capacity to analyse – this should not be a descriptive account of various perspectives on this issue. The essay should be 2,500 words long.
Below are some issues which you may wish to explore but you are not bound by these and you do not have to answer each or any of these questions;
Is humanitarian intervention a moral imperative?
Is prioritising the national interest over “saving strangers” actually a moral imperative?
Has there ever been a truly humanitarian intervention? If so, when? If not, why?
What theoretical perspective on humanitarian intervention is most convincing?
What do the various religions say about this issue?
Who should intervene? States, the UN…a UN army?
Should “we” tell “others” how to run their state?
Is international law on humanitarian intervention out-dated?
Is humanitarian intervention really only an option open to the most powerful states?
Should morality play a role in international relations?
Are humanitarian crises a threat to international peace and stability in the new globalized world order?
Should sovereignty mean complete inviolability?
What legal reforms are required to facilitate a more consistent response to intra-state crises?
In marking essays, lecturers will consider:
the extent to which the remit of the assignment has been met;
the degree to which the concepts and theories are described, discussed, integrated and contextualised;
the range of research and collation of information and material;
the structure and coherence of the argument;
the clarity and accuracy with which ideas are expressed;
the selection and correct attribution of sources in support of an argument
Criteria for grading assessed work will include the following:
Structure and Quality of Argument
Is the essay plan stated in the introduction?
Is the overall structure of the argument clear and coherent?
Are the points made in a logical sequence?
Is the argument sufficiently analytical?
Is there a conclusion?
Does the conclusion address the essay question directly?
Is the conclusion adequately supported by the preceding argument?
Use of Evidence
Are the points made supported by evidence from cited sources?
Are the sources drawn on sufficient and appropriate?
If empirical evidence is used, is it described clearly and in appropriate
detail?
Does the evidence presented support the conclusions reached?
Is the interpretation of the evidence presented appropriately qualified (i.e. avoiding overgeneralisations and sweeping statements)?
Contents
Is the writer’s argument adequately backed up rather than just asserted?
Are the sources used subjected to analysis and critical reflection?
Has the student researched the topic sufficiently?
Are there any important omissions?
Has the student thought about what they have read or simply reproduced
material from sources?
Is there evidence of critical thinking or an original synthesis?
Has the student gone beyond the essential reading?
Writing and Presentation Skills
Is the essay referenced correctly?
Are quotations identified and fully referenced?
Are the ideas presented fully credited?
Is there any evidence of plagiarism?
Is the essay fluent and readable?
Is the grammar and spelling adequate?
Has the writer made an effort to use their own words?
SOURCES
Essential Reading
Aidan Hehir (2015) Humanitarian Intervention: An Introduction 2nd Edition (Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan)
Further Reading
A. Bellamy (2016) Just Wars: From Cicero to Iraq (London: Polity)
C. Brown (2016) Sovereignty, Rights and Justice: International Political Theory Today (London: Polity)
S. Chesterman (2002) Just War or Just Peace? (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
A. Hehir (2018) Humanitarian Intervention after Kosovo: Iraq, Darfur and the Record of Global Civil Society (Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan)
J.L. Holzgrefe and R. Keohane (ed.s) (2003) Humanitarian Intervention: Ethical, Legal and Political Dilemmas (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (2001) The Responsibility to Protect & The Responsibility to Protect: Research, Bibliography, Background (Ottawa: International Development Research Centre)
A. Lang (ed.) (2013) Just Intervention (Washington DC: Georgetown University Press)
J. Pattison (2016) Humanitarian Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
M. Walzer (2016) Just and Unjust Wars, Revised Edition (New York: Basic Books)
J. Welsh (ed.) (2016) Humanitarian Intervention and International Relations (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
N. Wheeler (2017) Saving Strangers (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
T. Woodhouse and O. Ramsbotham (2016) Humanitarian Intervention in Contemporary Conflict (London: Polity)
Journal Articles
It is vitally important that you read journal articles. They are articles written by specialists and peer-reviewed before publication. This means that published journal articles have been read by other experts in the field who have judged them to be a significant addition to existing literature on a given subject. Journal articles are typically 7,000-10,000 words long and thus considerably shorter than books. They are also more narrowly focused than books and thus are succinct sources of information.
There are literally thousands of journals; below is a list of particularly useful journals;
International Security, The Review of International Studies, Journal of Intervention and State-Building, Ethics and International Affairs, International Affairs, International Relations, Security Dialogue, Foreign Affairs, Third World Quarterly, International Relations, Journal of International Feminist Politics, Diplomacy and Statecraft, International Organisation, Survival, World Politics, The Journal of Peace Research,.
You can access journal articles through the e-journal section of the online library catalogue from any computer.
WEEKLY READING LIST
Please note this list is not exhaustive and is intended only as a guide. Extensive lecture notes will be provided (via Blackboard) and you are expected to use your notes, and the books/articles referenced therein, to prepare for subsequent seminar the week after the lecture. This list contains only books – you will be advised about relevant journal articles during the lecture/seminar.
Lecture 1: What is ‘Humanitarian Intervention’?
Compulsory Reading: Aidan Hehir (2013) Humanitarian Intervention: An Introduction (Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan), Chapters I & 9
A. Bellamy (2016) Just Wars: From Cicero to Iraq (London: Polity); Chapter 10
S. Chesterman (2017) Just War or Just Peace? (Oxford: Oxford University Press); Chapter 1
J.L. Holzgrefe and R. Keohane (ed.s) (2013) Humanitarian Intervention: Ethical, Legal and Political Dilemmas (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press); Chapter 1
J. Welsh (ed.) (2016) Humanitarian Intervention and International Relations (Oxford: Oxford University Press); Chapter 1
N. Wheeler (2017) Saving Strangers (Oxford: Oxford University Press); Chapter 1
Compulsory Reading: Aidan Hehir (2013) Humanitarian Intervention: An Introduction (Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan), Chapter IX
Lecture 2: The Just War Tradition
Compulsory Reading: Aidan Hehir (2015) Humanitarian Intervention: An Introduction (Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan),