Workshop on Deterrence

Debates about whether and how third party states ought to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine frequently invoke the importance of deterring further (Russian) aggression. It seems widely accepted, at least in the public and political discourse, that deterring aggression is a just cause for war. And yet there is scant discussion of deterrence as a just cause for force in either the philosophical literature on the ethics of war or the broader literature on defensive harming. There is also a surprising lack of engagement by those working on the ethics of war with the substantial literature on nuclear deterrence.

This workshop will explore how work on deterrence across legal, moral and political philosophy (for example, in relation to punishment, political policies, coercion, and nuclear deterrence) might shed light on the ethics of war. It will combine the discussion of relevant published work with the presentation of new research. Confirmed participants thus far include Helen Frowe, Victor Tadros, Jonathan Parry, Attila Mráz, Nadine Elzein, Patrick Tomlin and Massimo Renzo.

Call for Papers:

Those wishing to present new research should submit papers of no more than 5000 words, suitable for a 40 minute presentation. Papers need not explicitly address the idea of deterrence as a just cause for force. Authors should indicate whether they would also like to participate in the workshop if their paper is not selected for presentation. Participants, including authors, will need to cover their own travel expenses; the Stockholm Centre will cover accommodation for three nights and refreshments / lunches during the workshop for all participants. All participants are expected to attend the whole workshop. Submissions should be emailed to [email protected] (inquiries can also be directed to Helen). The deadline for submissions is the 25th of March 2023.

The workshop will take place at Lovec Hotel, Bled.