Module manager: Gerald Lang
Email: G.R.Lang@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
| PHIL5723M | War, Terror, and Justice |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module will examine certain key ethical aspects of the international order: centrally, war, terrorism, and international justice and the moral duties arising from global poverty. The module’s exploration of the ethics of war pays extensive attention to two sources: first, the commitments and structure of ‘Just War Theory’, which was initially formulated in the medieval period, but which continues to enjoy a significant influence on the international law governing warfare; and second, the ethics of self-defence, which is taken by many theorists to offer micro-foundations for the ethics of war. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.
The aims of this module are to:
(1) Familiarise you with some of the leading contemporary theories and debates about the morality of self-defence, war, terrorism, and other problems involving violent conflict, and international justice.
(2) Enable you to critically engage with some of the philosophical debates arising from these issues, so that you can arrive at your own views about them.
The objectives will be fulfilled through:
- Lectures where you are introduced to the basic arguments, concepts and readings.
- Preparation for and participation in tutorials, in which you will critically discuss the arguments presented in set readings with your peers, and develop your own views.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
(1) Critically evaluate central concepts, arguments and theories relating to the ethics of war, terror or justice.
(2) Cogently develop and defend their own views about those issues.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
(3) Communicate ideas and understanding clearly and concisely (Academic, Work Ready and Enterprise skill)
(4) Undertake independent research to identify, evaluate and synthesise relevant material to support knowledge and analysis of topics (Academic, Work-Ready, Digital skill)
(5) Think critically about real-world contexts involving war, violence, and poverty (Academic, Enterprise and Sustainability skill)
There may be some variation in the topics covered from year to year, but the following is an indicative list:
- The foundations and limits of self-defence
- The structure and content of Just War Theory
- Humanitarian intervention
- The morality of terrorism
- The morality of interrogational torture
- The ethics of nuclear deterrence
- Responsibility for global poverty and international distributive justice
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 14 | 1 | 14 |
| Seminars | 9 | 1 | 9 |
| Private study hours | 177 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 23 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Each student is invited to complete ONE piece of formative work which will receive written feedback. Students are given a choice of an essay plan or abbreviated essay treatment. Students should read and reflect on (i) the feedback they received in previous summative assessments, (ii) the PRHS marking criteria, and (iii) the specific guidance provided on the summative assessment in this module, and identify for themselves the type of formative feedback that will be most beneficial to them.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Resits will take the same format and students will select a different essay from the original list.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team