AFST 20377 - War, Peace, and Conscience

Institution:

University of Notre Dame

Subject:

Africana Studies

Description:

This course examines ancient, medieval, and modern understandings of the ethics of war primarily, but not exclusively, within Christian tradition. It comes in three parts. First, it surveys the emergence and development of the morality of war from ancient times (Jewish, Christian, and classical), through the medieval period (church canonists, Aquinas, the scholastics), and into the modern period (Grotius and later sources of international law). Second, it examines the nature of modern warfare by means of historical illustrations, including the Civil War, the so-called Indian Wars, World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War. Third, it takes up several cases with the aim of exploring the tension between traditional conceptions of just war theory and the practice of modern warfare, focusing on issues involved in the use of weapons of mass destruction, the "fog of war," wars of revolution, ethnic and religious conflict, and the continuing "war on terrorism." Texts include: Roland Bainton, Christian Attitudes Toward War and Peace, Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front, John Hersey, Hiroshima, Olson and Roberts, My Lai: A Brief History with Documents, plus writings on the attacks of September 11. Requirements include a take-home test, several short papers, and a final exam.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.nd.edu

Phone Number:

(574) 631-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.