Evil and international relations : human suffering in an age of terror / Renée Jeffery.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jeffery, Renée.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Suffering--Moral and ethical aspects.

Suffering.

Good and evil.

International relations.

Physical Description:

viii, 235 pages ; 22 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.

Summary:

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the concept of 'evil' has enjoyed renewed popularity in both international political rhetoric and scholarly writing. World leaders, politicians, and intellectuals have increasingly turned to 'evil' to describe the very worst humanitarian atrocities that continue to mark international affairs. However, precisely what 'evil' actually entails is not well understood. Little consensus exists as to what 'evil' is, how it is manifested in the international sphere, and what we ought to do about it. With this in mind, this work seeks to ascertain precisely what is meant by 'evil' when it is used to describe actors and events in international politics. Focusing on the history of evil in western secular and religious thought, &it reintroduces a classical understanding of evil as the means according to which we seek to understand otherwise meaningless human suffering.

Contents:

Understanding evil

The meaning of suffering

The problem of evil

Moral evil

Moral monsters

Evil as thoughtlessness

The war on evil.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [167]-227) and index.

ISBN:

1403977348

9781403977342

OCLC:

124538514

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Publisher description