Course coordinator
Dr Xuwan Ouyang
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Politic Sc & Internat Studies
This course examines some of the key moral dilemmas in global politics. It examines several ethical traditions, such as realism, communitarianism, cosmopolitanism and feminism in an attempt to provide students with the knowledge necessary to understand issues related to peace, morality and justice in international politics. The second part consists of a series of case studies that illustrate the practical dimension of debates about ethics in international politics. We will examine the ethics of membership, global poverty and global justice, environmental justice and climate change, the ethics of war, the problem of evil and the relationship between the rights discourse and moral change.
Ethics deals with questions about how one ought to act under certain circumstances. The purpose of this course is to investigate the principal ways of thinking about ethics in world politics, the relationship between ethics and things like power political and practical realities, and some of the most pressingﾠethical questions in contemporary international relations. Rather than providing a ready-made moral model, the lectures introduce students to a variety of normative approaches – often conflicting ones – that have come to shape issues of peace, morality and justice in international politics. We then explore the ethical and political questions that arise when these different ways of thinking about and practising morality rub up against one another in world politics.
The lecture and tutorial program is divided into two main parts. The first part explores in general terms the question of how ethics function in world politics and investigates different traditions of international ethics, including non-Western,ﾠin an attempt to demonstrate how we have come to think about issues of peace, morality and justice in global politics. The objective of this part is to provide students with the conceptual and theoretical framework necessary to understand a variety of ethical dilemmas that are central to international relations today. In the second part of the course we explore different types of ethical questions, those centering on human rights, war and the use of force, and distributive and other kinds of justice as they apply to global health, global poverty, and climate change. At the end of part one, students should possess the capability to assess ethical issues in a critical and independent way and at the end of part two students should possess an understanding of the practical dimension of debates about ethics in international politics.ﾠ
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course assumes that students have undertaken level 1 and/or level 2 courses in International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, or cognate subjects.
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
4 units POLS-coded courses
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
GT274, POLS2502
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Xuwan Ouyang
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
There areﾠ 13 Lectures and ﾠ8 Tutorialsﾠfor this course.ﾠ
Please Note: Tutorials start in Teaching Week 2.
Aims and outcomes
POLS3502ﾠaims to provide students with knowledge and skills to engage with and navigate complex ethical theories, concepts and practices in international affairs. This course provides students with the conceptual tools necessary to engage in normative research and evaluation in international relations and with which to analyse and make sense of current issues, debates and associated developments in contemporary world politics.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
apply the conceptual and theoretical frameworks necessary to understand a variety of ethical dilemmas that are central to international relations today.
LO2.
assess ethical issues in a critical and independent way
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution | Tutorial participation | 10% | |
| Presentation | Video presentation | 20% |
16/04/2025 -
Deadline for submitting video presentation is 16 April at 4pm |
| Essay/ Critique |
Major essay (3500 words）
|
40% |
16/05/2025 -
Deadline for major essay will be 16 May at 4pm |
| Examination | Examination | 30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Tutorial participation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 10%
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
1 mark each for 8 tutorials, 2 marks bonus if students participate in all tutorials. Tutorials start from teaching week 2.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Video presentation
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
16/04/2025 -
Deadline for submitting video presentation is 16 April at 4pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
Students will be required to prepare a 6–8 minute video self-recording critical evaluating one of the pieces provided by the course coordinator. A list of articles and requirements will be provided in Blackboard. Students will be asked to choose one article and address the following questions in their video presentation. In your video presentation, you need to use AT LEAST TWO READINGS in this course to support your argument. Using good examples to support your argument will be a bonus.
1. What is the central problem or dilemma addressed by article?
2. What are the main arguments that the article presents?
3. Do you think arguments and evidence of article is persuasive? Why?
More information is provided on the course Blackboard page, under "Video presentation".
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Record, save, and upload this recording using EchoVideo.
For more information on how to use EchoVideo, see:
- Video Assignments (Original) - eLearning - University of Queensland
- Submit a video assignment with EchoVideo (Original) - eLearning - University of Queensland
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
An extension for the video presentation will be managed by the course coordinator. Discuss with the course coordinator before the deadline if you require an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Major essay (3500 words）
- Hurdle
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
16/05/2025 -
Deadline for major essay will be 16 May at 4pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
Students are required to write a 3,500 word essay, answering one of the questions for major essays posed on Blackboard. Students are required to draw on (and citing) at least 3 sources from the course reading list.
There will also be oral response hurdle for major essay. Students meet with the lecturer/tutor and respond to a question prompt that is not known in advance regarding the essay, followed by 1-2 follow-up questions. Students must receive a pass in the ‘essay oral response’ to pass this course. Students who do not receive a pass on the oral response task can only receive an overall grade of 3 or less for the course. Students who receive an overall score of 3 in the Course are eligible to apply for a supplementary assessment (my.uq Supplementary Assessment)
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Students must receive a pass in the ‘essay oral response’ to pass this course. Students who do not receive a pass on the oral response task can only receive an overall grade of 3 or less for the course. Students who receive an overall score of 3 in the Course are eligible to apply for a supplementary assessment (my.uq Supplementary Assessment)Submission guidelines
Assignments (Written part) for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and using Turnitin.
In uploading an assignment via Turnitin you are certifying that it is your original work, that it has not been copied in whole or part from another person or source except where this is properly acknowledged, and that it has not in whole or part been previously submitted for assessment in any other course at this or any other university.
When you successfully submit your assessment to Turnitin after previewing the uploaded document (to make sure that you have chosen the correct file), you should see the “Submission Complete!” message. After this, a downloadable Digital Receipt will display on your Assignment Dashboard. It is your responsibility to download the Digital Receipt as proof of submission. Turnitin will not send this receipt to you automatically.
If you don’t see the downloadable receipt on your assignment dashboard, you should regard your submission as unsuccessful.
If the submission was not successful:
- Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot).
- Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again.
- If you cannot submit again, then email your course coordinator immediately.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Please apply via my.UQ if you require an extension for the major essay.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Unless an extension is granted, penalties for late submission apply. Students are penalised 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item for every calendar day that an assessment item is late.
Marks will be deducted each day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point the submitted item will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is triggered from the time the submission is due.
Examination
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
Central exam in which you will be asked to write three short essays from a selection of eight.
Assessment tasks are intended to evaluate a student’s abilities, skills, and knowledge. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the assessment instructions, assessments are to be completed without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT). Failure to comply with this direction may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: None of the above criteria will have been met. This student will not have addressed the question, shown no or very little evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: None of the above criteria will have been met. This student will not have addressed the question, shown no or very little evidence of reading and minimal comprehension of the issues at hand. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Falls short of satisfying all basic requirements for a Pass. The student will have demonstrated a minimal grasp of the chosen topic and will have made an effort to establish a single major argument for the essay. The student will have employed some research which correlated with the argument and will have made a visible effort to achieve adequate grammar, spelling and punctuation. Evidence of attempting to achieve a recognisable narrative flow should appear throughout the assignment. This student will have addressed the question, showing evidence of required research and a basic grasp of the issues at hand. |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated an adequate grasp of the chosen topic and will have made a reasonable effort to provide evidence to support a visible argument. The student will have employed an adequate research base to support the argument and will have achieved a reasonable, if not completely coherent standard of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. A recognisable narrative flow should be sustained throughout the essay. This student will have answered the question, showing evidence of adequate research and a degree of understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a sound grasp of the chosen topic and will have addressed the argument by providing suitable evidence to support an argument. The student will have employed a comprehensive research base that directly relates to the topic though it may not completely support the argument and will have achieved decent levels of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct, well supported fashion, showing evidence of some wide reading and a reasonable understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a very good grasp of the chosen topic and will have addressed the argument by providing a considerable amount of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student will have employed a reasonably extensive and well-organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and will have achieved a high level of competence in grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct, reasonably sophisticated fashion, employing wide research and showing a sound understanding of the issues at hand. |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student will have demonstrated a highly sophisticated grasp of the topic and will have succeeded in addressing the question by providing a high level of evidence to support a clearly stated argument. The student will have employed an extensive and well organised research base to structure evidence in support of the argument and will have achieved impeccable levels of grammar, spelling, punctuation and narrative flow. This student will have answered the question in a direct and elegant fashion, employing significant research and showing a deep understanding of the issues at hand. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be awarded on the following basis:
1.ﾠFailﾠ 1 - 19%
2. Failﾠ 20 - 44%
3. Failﾠ 45 - 49%
4. Passﾠ 50 - 64 %
5. Creditﾠ 65 - 74 %
6. Distinctionﾠ 75 - 84 %
7. High Distinctionﾠ 85 - 100 %
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Word Length Penalty
Unless otherwise indicated, in the case of written submissions with a specified word count, you are given a +10% leeway on the upper word limit. If your written submission is over this leeway limit, it will attract a 10 percentage point penalty. For example, if your essay is 1,500 words, you may write up to 1,650 before attracting a word count penalty. If your essay exceeds the upper word limit, it will attract a 10% word count penalty. Therefore, if your essay is worth 40 marks, you will lose 4 marks from your allotted grade. Unless specified, penalties only apply to exceeding the word length, not for failure to write a sufficient amount.
Students should note:
• The Author-date in-text referencing system will count toward the word length;
• References in the Footnote referencing system will not count toward the word length. If you are using footnotes, any content included in footnotes beyond the specific text reference will count towards the word length.
Students should refer to the School of Political Science & International Studies Essay Guide for further information. The Essay Guide can beﾠdownloaded from POLSIS Student Support page.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Reading is an essential aspect of this course, for several reasons. ﾠThe concepts, theories and case studies covered in the lectures are, by the virtue of their subject matter, relatively complex.ﾠA thorough engagement with the assigned readings is thus necessary to gain an optimal understanding of the lectures.ﾠThe same is true for tutorials.ﾠIssues of ethics are inevitable issues of debate. It is the task of the tutorials to wage these debates. The more students have read, the more tutorials will turn out to be interesting (and helpful for the preparation of your essay and exam).ﾠ
The required reading load consists of four articles or book chapters per week.ﾠFor each topic there is a list of recommended readings.ﾠ You do not, of course, need to read all of them.ﾠ These sources can help you explore an issue that is of particular interest to you.ﾠ They will also be particularly useful when you do research and write your essay.
Essay Guide
The School of Political Science and International Studies Essay Guide can be downloaded from the School’s Student Support webpage.
The Guide sets out guidelines you should follow in preparing written assignments.
Essay Writing Assistance
The School of Political Science and International Studies schedules regular “drop-in” sessions designed to provide one-on-one advice and assistance in essay planning and writing.
There is no need to make an appointment and you are encouraged to bring your essay with you.
The day and time of these sessions will be finalized at the beginning of each semester and published on the Student Support webpage.
Student Services
Student services offer a variety of short courses during the semester which will help you improve your study, research and writing skills and thus your academic performance in this course.
Library Resources
UQ Library offers training in software, assignment writing, research skills, and publishing and research management.
The University’s library holdings for Political Science and International Studies are primarily located in the Central Library.
There is a help desk in the Library. Students are also welcome to contact the BEL/HASS Librarians for assistance.
Email: librarians@library.uq.edu.au
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (24 Feb - 02 Mar) |
Lecture |
Introduction What is ethics? How does ethics fit into world politics? This lecture will also provide an overview of the course and assessments. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 2 (03 Mar - 09 Mar) |
Lecture |
Ethics in world politics We examine the place of ethics in world politics. How does ethics relate to power, interests and agency in world politics? What sorts of ethics is possible in world politics? Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 1 - Ethics in world politics Introduction to the course and a discussion on the nature of ethics, the role that ethics play in world politics, and how ethics relate to actors, power, institutions, and practice. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 3 (10 Mar - 16 Mar) |
Lecture |
Cosmopolitanism and communitarianism This lecture examines two principle ways of thinking about ethics and international affairs - cosmopolitanism, which holds out the possibility of moral universals, and communitarianism which emphasises an ethics of coexistence. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 4 (17 Mar - 23 Mar) |
Lecture |
Non-Western perspectives This lecture looks at other traditions of international ethics, including post and anti-colonial, Chinese, and Islamic and examines the question of difference, pluralism, and toleration. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 2 - Perspectives on international ethics This tutorial will examine the main theories and approaches to international ethics, and look at where they overlap but also at where the key points of difference are. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 5 (24 Mar - 30 Mar) |
Lecture |
Human rights in principle: foundation & scope This week we examine the concept of human rights - what are they, how and when did they emerge, what sorts of claims do they make, and what is their scope? Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 6 (31 Mar - 06 Apr) |
Lecture |
Human rights in practice: politics and power How do human rights shape practice? This week we look at questions to do with the obligations created by human rights and how those obligations are shaped in practice by politics and power. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 3 - Constructing human rights This week, tutorial groups will work to develop their own basic charters of human rights which they believe could command the widest possible support. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 7 (07 Apr - 13 Apr) |
Lecture |
Rights across borders: ethics of migration Do states have a right to exclude people from membership? Do individuals have a right to cross borders? This week we look at the ethics questions surrounding movement across borders - migration, immigration, and the ethics of asylum. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 4 - Rights & obligations across borders This tutorial looks at the relationship between rights and politics in international affairs. Focusing in particular on how rights travel across borders, it will examine questions about the obligations that accompany rights. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 8 (14 Apr - 20 Apr) |
Lecture |
When is war justified? War remains the ultimate arbiter of political disputes. But can it be justified? And, if so, in what circumstances? This lecture examines these questions. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 5: Can war be justified? This tutorial examines the question of whether war can ever be justified and - if it can - on what moral basis. It considers contemporary examples such as the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Mid-sem break (21 Apr - 27 Apr) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
MID SEMESTER BREAK - NO CLASS Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 9 (28 Apr - 04 May) |
Lecture |
The ethics of conduct in war? This lecture examines what violence may be justified in war. Is it ever legitimate to kill civilians or torture terrorists in order to save a greater number of people from harm? What do the laws of war require and how should combatants balance the need to win with the need to fight ethically? Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 6 - Ethical dilemmas in war This tutorial looks at some very difficult moral problems in the conduct of war - for example, is it ever legitimate to kill civilians? How should soldiers deal with suicide bombers or with child soldiers? What moral principles ought to guide their conduct? Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 10 (05 May - 11 May) |
Lecture |
Global health This week we examine the ethical issues surrounding global health. Is health inequality justified? If not, what obligations does that impose - why? Is there a right to health? Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Week 11 (12 May - 18 May) |
Lecture |
Climate justice Climate justice has emerged as a central frame in the politics of climate change. This week we examine different ways of understanding climate justice, the debates it provokes and its relationship to other moral commitments and power politics. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 7 - Climate justice In the final tutorial of the semester, we examine climate justice. What is climate justice? Are states and societies morally responsible for harms committed in the past? Do all societies have an equal share of the burden of dealing with climate change or should it be differentiated? Does climate change impose perfect or imperfect obligations? Tutorial groups will be asked to develop their own statement of principles with respect to climate justice. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 12 (19 May - 25 May) |
Lecture |
Global poverty Economic inequality is more pronounced than ever though the relative number of people in absolute poverty has declined. What is global distributive justice and what obligations does it create? This week we examine the moral debates about global inequalities and poverty. Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial 8 - Global inequalities: health & poverty In this tutorial we look at questions of global distributive justice, specifically questions of inequality of health and wealth. Is global inequality a moral problem? Why/why not? And, if it is, who is obliged to do something about it? Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
|
Week 13 (26 May - 01 Jun) |
Lecture |
Conclusion: Ethical dilemmas today and tomorrow Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.