Dr
|
PSA
award ceremony 2008
Dr
Current Work
Pattison is currently
working on the normative issues surrounding the use of private military force (most
of the work in this area has been empirical and conceptual, rather than
normative). His most recent paper (with
ESRC
Project on the Morality of Private War (£97,875), from September 2010
SUMMARY: The private military industry has been
growing rapidly since the end of the Cold War. Private military and security
companies (PMSCs) provide a myriad of services, including the training of
troops and security forces, the provision of transportation and logistics, and
a number of roles more likely to involve direct combat, such as the protection
of state officials. Given its extent, the increased reliance on PMSCs is often
claimed to be one the most significant changes in the military profession over
the past three decades. Although the potential benefits and disadvantages of
using PMSCs are often discussed, the ethical considerations are rarely fully
elaborated. This research project will therefore use normative political theory
to assess the leading normative objections to the use of private military and
security companies. It will develop a normative framework (the Moderate
Instrumentalist Approach) on the justifiability of private force for individual
contractors and those employing the services of PMSCs (e.g., states). It will
also develop two themes: first, the use of PMSCs raises a number of deeper,
more fundamental normative difficulties, in addition to the more obvious
contingent problems; second, the use of PMSCs can,
nevertheless, sometimes be morally acceptable, even in combat roles. To
do this, the research will consider six central issues: (i) if and when
individual contractors can permissibly use and assist military force; (ii)
private contractors' liability to attack; (iii) the legitimacy of states that
employ PMSCs; (iv) whether military services should be viewed as a public good;
(v) the possibility of using PMSCs to augment the international community's
capacity to undertake humanitarian intervention; and (vi) the use of PMSCs by
humanitarian organisations to protect their personnel and infrastructure in the
field.
Papers in progress
Publications in brief –
more details (including abstracts and papers to be downloaded) can be found here.
Minor Recent Papers
“Myths, Reasonable Expectations, and a League of Democracies”, on “Foreign Policy Myths Debunked”, Nov. 08.
“Improving the Agents and Mechanisms of Humanitarian Intervention”,
on “Making Intervention Work”, Oct. 08.
“Cosmopolitanism and Rationalizing Tendencies”, on “The Politics of NGOs and Aid Assistance”, Sep. 08.
Research Interests
Areas of specialisation:
international political theory, particularly the ethics of war and humanitarian
intervention
Areas of competence:
political philosophy, International Relations
(i) Convening and
Organising
·
Organiser of Departmental External Speaker Seminar Series,
Department of Politics, Philosophy, and International Relations, University of
the West of
·
Co-convener.
Global Ethics
·
Convener and Chief Organiser.
CANE (Central and
(ii) Refereeing and Editorial Boards
Refereeing
·
Journals: American
Political Science Review, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, Critical
Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, Ethics &
International Affairs, Global Responsibility to Protect, Global Society,
International Journal of Human Rights, Journal of Global Ethics, Journal of
International Political Theory, Journal of Moral Philosophy, Journal of
Political Philosophy, Journal of Social Philosophy, Millennium
·
Publishing houses:
·
Funding bodies: ESRC
Editorial Board Member
·
Human Rights
& Human Welfare
(iii) Funding
·
ESRC,
“The Morality of Private War”, £97,875 (FEC), from
September 2010-2010. This funding is to consider the normative issues
surrounding the use of private military force. A summary is provided above.
·
Research
Collaboration Scheme, Association of Commonwealth Universities/British
Academy. “Privatised Humanitarianism: An Ethical Imperative”.
This funding is to collaborate with
·
One-year ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship. Department of Politics and International Relations,
·
Funding for CANE graduate conference.
£500 secured from
·
Expenses and Living
Costs to be a Research Affiliate at
·
Four-year ESRC Studentship Award (1+3 Scheme). Covered all living expenses and fees for the duration of the M.A.
and PhD (Worth over £60,000). Oct 2002-2006
(iv) Awards
·
Sir Ernest Barker Prize for Best Dissertation
in Political Theory. Awarded by the Political Studies
Association (award for best PhD in field in the
·
Hugh Berrington Prize for Outstanding Performance.
Awarded by the
(v) Appointments
·
Lecturer
in Politics (Human Rights),
·
Senior Lecturer in International Relations. Department of Politics and Philosophy, University of the West of
·
Lecturer in International Relations.
Department of Politics and Philosophy, University of the West of
·
Temporary Lecturer.
·
Research Affiliate.
Wilf Family Department of Politics, NYU (
·
Seminar Leader.
(vi) Qualifications
·
PhD:
“Legitimacy and Humanitarian Intervention: Who Should Intervene?”. Department of Geography, Politics, and
Sociology,
***Awarded
‘Sir Ernest Barker Prize’ for Best
Dissertation in Political Theory 2006/7 by the Political Studies
Association***, Oct 03-Dec 06
·
M.A. Politics (Research). Department of Geography, Politics, and Sociology,
***Awarded
‘Hugh Berrington Prize for
Outstanding Performance’ for highest mark in year***), Oct 02-03.
·
B.A.
Politics. Department of Geography,
Politics, and Sociology,
(vii) Current Teaching
·
POLI60502
Human Rights in World Politics (MA) -- Module Leader
·
POLI70492
Human Rights Vocational Placement (MA) -- Module Leader
·
POLI70401:
Graduate Seminar in International Politics (MA)
·
POLI30142:
Security Studies (undergraduate)
·
POLI20602:
Arguing about Politics (undergraduate)
(viii)
Previous Teaching
·
Global Ethics
·
Theories of International Relations
·
MA: The Politics of Human Rights
·
Foreign Policy
·
Kant and Hegel
·
Political Thought:
Perspectives on International Affairs.
Last updated: March 2010