Description
Violation of moral principles has emerged a norm than the exception in international politics. States and global institutions have proved ineffective to checkmate violent conflicts. It is not they are incapable or lack resources. The problem lies elsewhere. Ego is a major cause behind much of the hazards in international politics. Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo argued, like individuals, states have egos– amplified through national habits, prejudices, and idiosyncrasies. When applied to international politics, they lead to jingoism, exploitation, and wars, leading to practices like colonialism and imperialism. Colonialism and imperialism were only manifestations of an exploitative substructure. The root, the ego, is intact, and its manifestation has acquired new shapes. The Indian philosopher argued that state ego could evolve when state leaders think in terms of human unity. The establishment of the United Nations, after the failure of the League of Nations, was hailed a right step in this direction. The UN was established with a promise to ensure dignity and equality to all states. Has this happened?
In this course the students will be able to:
- Gain a broad understanding of international politics and various theories related to it.
- Interpret international developments from a Hindu spiritual perspective.
- Identify the patterns of international politics in which narrow national interests play dominant roles, and explore methods to address them.
Area of Study: Conflict and Peace Studies
Required / Elective: Elective
Prerequisites: Admission into a Program of Study
Faculty: Dr. Debidatta. A. Mahapatra
