Key Concepts in Military Ethics

Can war be morally justified? What is the philosophy behind armed conflict? How do you conduct an ethical war? And what guides military action as the nature of conflict changes over time? Based on a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) designed for both military personnel and non-specialists across the globe, Key Concepts in Military Ethics is structured as a series of ‘mini-chapters’ that cover a huge range of topics and issues: moral dilemmas, military and civilian interactions, freedom of the press, peacekeeping, terrorism, and humanitarian intervention. Written by a team of academic experts, many with military experience, the book contains scenarios and case studies, including the Gulf War, the Falklands War, ‘Ground Zero’ in New York City and more conventional theatres of war through history, as well as cyber-terrorism, the role of military contractors and unmanned weapons systems.

A former army officer, Dr Deane-Peter Baker specializes in military ethics and also teaches and writes on strategic studies and public policy. Now a Senior Lecturer at UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Dr Baker taught previously at the US Naval Academy and has held Visiting Fellowships at the US War College and the Triangle Institute for Security Studies (Duke University).