War Ethics (7-12)

In this module students learn about the causes of political tension and the impacts and lasting aftermath of political confrontation. Students role-play as world leaders in different imaginary countries engaged in a conflict, as they face difficult circumstances similar to that of WWI, WWII and the Cold War. This workshop is a perfect introduction into the nuance of ethical decision-making, the weaknesses in human psychology, and the importance of learning from our past.

    War
    Politics
    History
    Conflict
    Ethics
    Just War Theory

Content

Crisis Aversions The difficulty of making decisions in "lose-lose" scenarios where a country is being subjected to a flurry of unforeseen incidents.
Terrorism The difficulty of recognising and preventing terrorism, while preserving the rights of domestic citizens.
The Ignition of War The igniting factors behind wars (such as WWII and the cold war) along with the psychological factors that induced panic.
Autonomous Weaponry The responsibility to use technologically ethically in war and for military purposes, and the issues with various automations in warfare.
Preparing for War The uncertainty in times of war, and the difficulty of preparing a country without inciting panic.
Permitted forms of Warfare Why just war theory allows or forbids certain forms of warfare.
Conference A UN-style discussion between all countries in the game of the decisions made so far.
Nuclear Power (War) The escalation of nuclear power, its management, and present/future protocols to minimise risk that have emerged in light of the Cold War.
Peace Keeping The responsibilities of peace keeping, and the difficulty when trying to save lives in the immediate future.
Migration & Refugees The social aftermath of war, including migration and refugees.
The Impacts of War The various ethical and social impacts of warfare.
War Crimes An analysis into cultural relativism, consequentialism, and an investigation into what constitutes a ‘war crime’ with reference to the Nuremberg Trials.
War Escalation The psychology behind WWII and the cold war, including the escalating factors and an inhibiting factors, with reference to ethical frameworks and just war theory.
War Reasoning The reasoning behind war, and the validity of each reason, with reference to “just war theory”.