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This is an important contribution in the study of international political thought. Bridging the contending theories of natural law and international relations, this book proposes a 'relational ontology' as the basis for rethinking our approach to international politics. Beattie challenges both the conventional interpretation of natural law as necessarily and intractably theological, and the dominant conception of international relations as structurally distinct from the ends of human good, in order to recover the centrality of other-directed agency to the promotion of human development. The book contains a number of challenging and controversial ideas which should provoke constructive debate within international relations theory, political theory, and philosophical ethics.
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Justice and Morality Human Suffering, Natural Law and International Politics
Amanda Russell Beattie
Justice and Morality
Ethics and Global Politics Series Editors: Tom Lansford and Patrick Hayden Since the end of the Cold War, explorations of ethical considerations within global politics and on the development of foreign policy have assumed a growing importance in the fields of politics and international studies. New theories, policies, institutions, and actors are called for to address difficult normative questions arising from the conduct of international affairs in a rapidly changing world. This series provides an exciting new forum for creative research that engages both the theory and practice of contemporary world politics, in light of the challenges and dilemmas of the evolving international order. Also in the series Targeting Terrorists A License to Kill? Avery Plaw ISBN 978 0 7546 4526 9 Bloody Nations Moral Dilemmas for Nations, States and International Relations Cherry Bradshaw ISBN 978 0 7546 7120 6 Ethics in an Era of Globalization Edited by M.S. Ronald Commers, Wim Vandekerckhove and An Verlinden ISBN 978 0 7546 7195 4 From Terrorism to Politics Annisseh van Engeland and Rachael M. Rudolph ISBN 978 0 7546 4990 8 Emerging Conflicts of Principle International Relations and the Clash between Cosmopolitanism and Republicanism Thomas Kane ISBN 978 0 7546 4837 6
Justice and Morality Human Suffering, Natural Law and International Politics
Amanda Russell Beattie Aston University, UK
© Amanda Russell Beattie 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Amanda Russell Beattie has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company Wey Court East Suite 420 Union Road 101 Cherry Street Farnham Burlington Surrey, GU9 7PT VT 05401-4405 England USA www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Beattie, Amanda Russell. Justice and morality : human suffering, natural law and international politics. -- (Ethics and global politics) 1. Natural law. 2. Natural law--History. 3. International relations--Moral and ethical aspects. 4. Human rights. I. Title II. Series 327.1'01-dc22 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Beattie, Amanda Russell. Justice and morality : human suffering, natural law and international politics / by Amanda Russell Beattie. p. cm. -- (Ethics and global politics) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7546-7522-8 (hbk) -- ISBN 978-1-4094-0230-5 (ebk) 1. International relations--Moral and ethical aspects. 2. Natural law. I. Title. JZ1306.B43 2010 172'.4--dc22 ISBN 9780754675228 (hbk) ISBN 9781409402305 (ebk.II)
2009046913
Contents Introduction Realizing the Human Experience: Vulner