Week 15: Human rights
This week will be centered on understand contemporary global human rights legal architecture.
Task 1: Introducing International Ethics
Objective: To understand the different schools of international ethics
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Text Box 1: Pluralism
Pluralism is a based on four key assumptions about international relations. First, non-state actors as well as States are both important actors in world politics. Secondly, the State is not a unified actor, rather, domestic competition, debate, events will eventually lead to a 'decision' announced in the name of the state, and these are not always in the States’ national interest. Thirdly, pluralists challenge the realist assumption of the state as a rational actor, and this derives from the second assumption where the clash of competing interests may not always provide for a rational decision making process. Finally, the fourth assumption revolves around the nature of the international agenda, which is extensive according to the pluralists and includes issues of national security as well as economic, social and environmental issues. Text Box 2: Realism
Realism is a particular view of how the world works. It is based on the following beliefs: the global realm consists of independent political units called states; states, not NGOs, Global Institutions or non-state organizations, are the main actors because they possess some offensive military capability or power which makes them the only actors capable of taking serious actions in the Global system. States are never sure about the intentions of other states and the basic motive driving states is survival, the maintenance of sovereignty and the pursuit of national interests. Furthermore, states are rational and are only concerned with their own survival and achievement of national interests therefore states are not concerned with “Doing good for the sake of it”. Text Box 3: Cosmopolitanism
The word ‘cosmopolitan’, comes from the Greek word kosmopolitês (‘citizen of the world’). The main things shared by all cosmopolitan views is the idea that all human beings, regardless of their political affiliation, where they come from, what they look like etc. do (or at least can) belong to a single Global community, and it is a good idea to create this community should be developed. Therefore, cosmopolitans believe that the state and state sovereignty form restrictions on the creation of a Global community that everyone is a part of and that does not recognize state boundaries. |