Abstract For the majority of its history, the Just War Tradition (JWT) has attempted to limit the occurrence of violence in the violent world it found itself. Today, out of noble causes, the same...Show moreAbstract For the majority of its history, the Just War Tradition (JWT) has attempted to limit the occurrence of violence in the violent world it found itself. Today, out of noble causes, the same tradition is becoming more interventionist by incentivizing the market for force in which Private Military and Security Companies have carved out a role for themselves. In this thesis the origin of the normalization of private violence in JWT will be accounted for and how it allows for more violence, rather than limiting it. These so-called PMSCs will be analyzed in two ways. The theological origin of arguments permitting their usage will be accounted for before analyzing the risks that comes with this. The latter part will be the main focus and is done by following the principles laid out by Aquino: 1) legitimate authority, 2) just cause, and 3) right intention. By looking at the state of the art of PMSC ethics, the debates in contemporary JWT will be accused of being disagreements in details, and not concerned with the theological foundations of their convictions. Namely, by accounting for the privatized turn JWT took, I will show how a cosmopolitan politics is causing this relaxing of norms and is at risk of being permissible to increases of violence. This originated in Pelagian theology who argued for the possibility of human perfection through social and moral progress. Kantian liberalism, the modern equivalent of this belief, has prioritized just cause over other principles and moves the JWT away from one of its core functions; namely, limiting the destructiveness of war. The other core function is to limit injustices, which has devolved into the attempt to eradicate all injustices and overturns ethical positions on private violence.Show less
This thesis tries to research the JCPOA and the German / French official and medial reaction to it and to establish a connection of this with the state of European foreign policy.
This thesis explores what role cities play in promoting and implementing human rights. In particular, the thesis delves into the Human Rights Cities movement through a case study of Amsterdam as a ...Show moreThis thesis explores what role cities play in promoting and implementing human rights. In particular, the thesis delves into the Human Rights Cities movement through a case study of Amsterdam as a ‘human rights city’. Inspired by a growing global movement of ‘human rights cities’, Amsterdam has expressed its commitment to incorporating human rights in its policy-making. This thesis shows cities have increasingly claimed a role for themselves in international human rights politics and have cooperated on human rights initiatives with a range of actors globally. The Human Rights Cities movement points to the potential of cities to innovate human rights promotion and implementation through integrating human rights in daily local government work and through the ‘localization’ of rights. Its focus on enhancing participation might also lead to the ‘renegotiation’ of rights, making them more effective and meaningful for people’s daily lives in cities. However, this potential of the movement is also limited by inequal power relations, neoliberal influences and inadequate resources.Show less
