Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR)

The study of Politics and International Relations at Oxford has a long and distinguished history and the Department has become one of the largest in the field in the UK with 100 teaching and research staff. We are proud to be considered as an internationally excellent centre for teaching and research achieving consistently high rankings in league tables for teaching and research.

Series in this collection

All episodes

Title	Description	People	Date
American-Sino Relations: Competition	Second part of the three part series. This episode looks at four areas where the two most powerful nations can be in competition or in conflict; exceptionalism, contrasting political systems,power perceptions and shifts in the power relationships.	Rosemary Foot	7 January, 2010
American-Sino Relations: Review	In the third and final part of this series, Rosemary Foot reviews and critiques the four factors outlined in the previous episode which could hinder good relations between the two nations.	Rosemary Foot	7 January, 2010
Proportionality and Noncombatant Immunity	In this informal roundtable discussion McMahan presents his recent work on proportionality and noncombatant immunity, with responses by philosophers from both sides of the current debate.	Jeff McMahan, Helen Frowe, Seth Lazar	28 October, 2009
The "Cultural Heritage of All Mankind": Metaphysics, Ethics, and the Positive Laws of War	The "Cultural Heritage of All Mankind": Metaphysics, Ethics, and the Positive Laws of War.	Roger O'Keefe	1 June, 2009
The Enigma of Article 2(4): Interests and Norms in IR Theory	Over 60 years ago the USA agreed to give up its autonomy over the use of force by signing the UN Charter. Prof. Hurd uses this case study to better understand how states use international rules and how that use remakes both the rules and the states.	Ian Hurd, Alexander Betts	1 June, 2009
Uncertainty, Lags and Nonlinearity: Challenges to Governance in a Turbulent World	Prof. Homer-Dixon looks at systems displaying high levels of uncertainty. Using the example of climate change, he asks whether standard "management" approaches used by policymakers are enough or if we must find new approaches in times of uncertainty.	Thomas Homer-Dixon, Nick Bostrom	1 June, 2009
The Social Ethics of Believing: Why Practical Ethics Needs Social Moral Epistemology	Prof. Allen Buchanan looks at the role of belief in ethics and pays particular attention to its role in armed conflict.	Allen Buchanan	8 May, 2009
Proportionality and the Laws of War: Conflicting Interpretations	Prof. Thomas Hurka, Prof. Henry Shue, and Dr. David Rodin debate conflicting interpretations of proportionality and their relation to the laws of war.	Thomas Hurka, Henry Shue, David Rodin	8 May, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: Closing Comments	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen - Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	G.A. Cohen	23 April, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: Constructivism and Publicity	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen - Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	Andrew Williams, Wayne Sumner	23 April, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: Justice, Equality and Incentives	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen - Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	Seana Shiffrin, Richard Arneson	23 April, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: The Ethics of Distribution in a Warming Planet	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen - Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	John Roemer, Joshua Cohen, Stuart White	23 April, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: Justice as Fairness: Luck Egalitarian, not Rawlsian	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen - Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	Michael Otsuka, Jonathan Wolff	23 April, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: Money, Work and Body Parts: Cohen on Coercion	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen - Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	Cecile Fabre, Hillel Steiner	23 April, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: Utopophobia	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen - Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	David Estlund, David Miller	23 April, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: Introduction	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen - Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford. Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	David Miller, Stuart White	23 April, 2009
CSSJ: Cohen Conference: Rawls, Cohen, Mill and the Egalitarian Trilemma	Rescuing Justice and Equality: Celebrating the Career of G.A. Cohen Conference at the Centre for the Study of Social Justice (CSSJ), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, Friday 23 and Saturday 24 January 2009.	Paula Casal, Philippe Van Parijs	23 April, 2009
Iran-US Nuclear Relations: Overcoming Distrust	Prof. Nicholas Wheeler looks at issues of trust in nuclear relations, asking what obstacles still lie in the path of US-Iranian nuclear relations.	Nicholas Wheeler	6 March, 2009
How Individual Rights Transformed World Politics	Have individual rights transformed world politics? Prof. Reus-Smit challenges the circumscribed nature of this debate, arguing the relationship between individual rights and world politics has a longer history and is more fundamental than it suggests.	Christian Reus-Smit	27 February, 2009
Institutional Responsibility for Private Military Contractors	Prof. Nigel White gives a fascinating seminar looking at the issues surrounding institutional responsibility for private military contractors. Antonios Tzanakopoulos is the discussant.	Nigel White, Antonios Tzanakopoulos	27 February, 2009
Ethical Competence and Understanding War in International Relations	Prof. Mervyn Frost (King's College, London) presents a seminar in which he explores the relationship between ethics and international relations within the context of armed conflict. The discussant is Dr. Christopher Bickerton (Oxford).	Mervyn Frost, Christopher Bickerton	17 February, 2009
Indiscriminate Disproportionality: Another Attempt at Rules with Teeth	Prof. Henry Shue (Oxford) provides a moral reflection on international law by looking at the concept of proportional conduct in armed conflict. The discussant is Janina Dill (Oxford).	Henry Shue	17 February, 2009
Rebuilding War-Torn States: The Challenge of Post-Conflict Economic Reconstruction	Prof. Graciana del Castillo discusses aspects of her book 'Rebuilding War-Torn States' (OUP 2008). The discussant is Dr. Dominik Zaum (University of Reading).	Graciana del Castillo	17 February, 2009
Who Should Intervene? The Agents of Humanitarian Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect	Dr. James Pattison (University of the West of England) presents a seminar on humanitarian intervention and the 'responsibility to protect'. The discussant is Seth Lazar (Oxford).	James Pattison, Seth Lazar	17 February, 2009
Process and Effects of Unification	The history of the Wall — Developments up to 1989 — The international handling of German unification — The domestic politics of unification — Enduring divisions in Germany — Conclusion.	Andreas Busch	7 March, 2007
The Social Market Economy	Changing assessments over time — Characteristics in brief — Historical experiences — The concept — The institutions — Economic performance.	Andreas Busch	28 February, 2007
Elections, Parties, and the Party System	Parties after 1945: continuities and change — Parties and the German State — The main parties: SPD — CDU — FDP — Greens — Party system and cleavage change — The 2005 Bundestag election.	Andreas Busch	21 February, 2007
Federalism and Policy-Making	Federalism as a concept — Roots of German federalism — The Länder and their constitutional responsibilities — Developments of German federalism — The influence of European integration — The Bundesrat and policy-making.	Andreas Busch	14 February, 2007
Executive-Legislative Relations	"Chancellor Democracy" — The Powers and Constraints on a Chancellor — The Rise of the Bundestag — The Bundesrat and Regional Administration — The Federal Constitutional Court — Parapublic Institutions.	Andreas Busch	7 February, 2007
The Constitutional Founding of the Federal Republic (1945-1949)	Germany after 1945 - Domestic and international situation - Towards the founding of the Federal Republic - The Parliamentary Council - The "Basic Law" and its main institutions.	Andreas Busch	31 January, 2007

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