Brian Orend on ‘War Ethics: Theory, Practice, and Memoir’
Wars keep erupting. Russia-Ukraine; Israel-Hamas; Israel-Hezbollah; targeted strikes against Houthis in Yemen, and between Israel and Iran; Syria; Myanmar; Sudan; and rising conflict in the Congo involving Rwandan factions and threatening to spiral throughout Central Africa. Ours is not a peaceful time, to say nothing of the decline in global cooperation in general and the sharp rise in aggressive—even expansionist—nationalism, notably amongst the great powers of the US, China, India, and Russia. In short: conflict and war are grabbing headlines, altering the fate of people and countries forever, and crying out for fresh and thorough investigation.
This anthology is comprehensive and up to date, yet still readily affordable. It is sizable and diverse, allowing one to craft a personalized reader on war and peace in our time—either for oneself or for one’s students. It offers one-stop shopping in that regard. I invite readers to explore the exciting table of contents, as well as the list of “topical clusters” which follows, to quickly identify everything this book has to offer.
War Ethics: Theory, Practice, and Memoir
War Ethics: Theory, Practice and Memoir is an extraordinarily diverse collection of over ninety readings on the ethics, law, morality, and justice of armed conflict. Each of the foundational theories of war ethics—realism, pacifism, just war theory, and international law—is examined in depth, as are challenging alternative perspectives from feminist thinkers and the world’s major…
The Morality of War – Second Edition
The first edition of The Morality of War was one of the most widely-read and successful books ever written on the topic. In this second edition, Brian Orend builds on the substantial strengths of the first, adding important new material on: cyber-warfare; drone attacks; the wrap-up of Iraq and Afghanistan; conflicts in Libya and Syria;…
Morality of War Podcast with Brian Orend
Brian Orend’s The Morality of War is one of the most widely-read and influential books ever written on the topic. Earlier this year, Orend was a guest on the Smart People Podcast where he discussed the second edition of The Morality of War (now available!), as well as the larger ethical issues surrounding war, peace,…
On Perpetual Peace
Kant’s landmark essay “On Perpetual Peace” is as timely, relevant, and inspiring today as when it was first written over 200 years ago. In it we find a forward-looking vision of a world respectful of human rights, dominated by liberal democracies, and united in a cosmopolitan federation of diverse peoples. The essay is an expression…
Human Rights
Winner: 2002 Choice Outstanding Academic Title Award What are human rights? What justifies us in believing we have them? What are rights-holders and duty-bearers? Who should bear the costs and responsibilities for making human rights real? Why have some criticized the human rights perspective? And how can those supportive of human rights best respond? These…
Being Ethical: Classic and New Voices on Contemporary Issues
This anthology takes a broad approach to ethics, incorporating traditional topics and texts while bringing in voices and themes that are too often excluded. A substantial section on ethical theory is provided, as are readings on topics such as oppression, sex, identity, the environment, life and death, war and terror, and caring for others. Accessible…
Ethical Issues: Perspectives for Canadians – Fourth Edition
Ethical Issues: Perspectives for Canadians is a collection of readings designed to introduce students to a number of important topics, including our obligations toward the environment, the treatment of non-human animals, abortion, assisted reproduction, end of life decision-making, freedom of expression, war, multiculturalism, and more. Readings have been carefully selected to represent a broad array…