The Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard Hosts Conference “Just War in Religion and Politics,” April 24 to 26

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—From Tuesday, April 24 to Thursday, April 26, the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College hosts a three-day conference that explores the question: Can War Be Just? “Just War in Religion and Politics” aims to compare and contrast not only positions on the theory of the “just war,” but also to explore different methods of learning and thinking across disciplines. By examining theories of just war in diverse cultural contexts and their disciplinary settings, the conference emphasizes the reading of a common topic from diverse perspectives.

Organized by Jacob Neusner, Bruce D. Chilton, and Jonathan Becker of Bard College, and R. E. Tully of the United States Military Academy at West Point, the conference brings together scholars, students, and cadets from Bard and West Point. The first part of the conference, Just War in the History of Religions, is devoted to the comparative study of religions with talks given by religious studies professors. On Tuesday, April 24 at 1:30 pm, Roger Berkowitz, associate professor of political studies and human rights and academic director of the Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities at Bard College, will give the keynote address, “Should We Justify War?” At 7 pm, there will be a debate, moderated by Bard professor of classics William Mullen, between Bard College students and West Point cadets on the resolution: This House Believes That War Can Be Just.

The concluding section of the conference, Just War in Contemporary Contexts, examines approaches to the same topic of just war from the perspective of the social sciences. On Wednesday, April 25 at 3:45 pm, R. E. Tully, United States Military Academy at West Point professor of philosophy, will give a talk, “Fighting the Good Fight.” On Thursday, April 26 at 9 am, Elihu D Richter, professor emeritus at the Hebrew University–Hadassah School of Public Health and Community Medicine, will deliver the lecture, “Just War Theory, Choice, and Necessity and Israel’s Responses to Genocidal Threats: An Evidence-Based Approach.”

Free and open to the public, all events will be held in the Multipurpose Room of the Bertelsmann Campus Center at Bard College. Please see below for the full conference schedule.
 

1:00 pm–1:30 pm
Words of Welcome
Jonathan Becker, Vice President and Dean of International Affairs and Civic Engagement


1:30 pm–2:30 pm
Keynote Address: "Should We Justify War?"
Roger Berkowitz, Bard College Associate Professor of Political Studies and Human Rights



2:30 pm–3:30 pm
Justice and Justifications: War Theory among the Ancient Greeks
Carolyn Dewald, Bard College Professor of Classical and Historical Studies


3:30 pm–4:30 pm
Religion, Ritual and War in the Late Roman Republic
Robert M. Berchman, Dowling College Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies


4:30 pm–5:30 pm
The Wars of Yahweh: Biblical Views of Just War
Baruch A. Levine, New York University Skirball Professor Emeritus of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies


5:30 pm–7:00 pm
Dinner


7:00 pm–9:00 pm
A debate: This House Believes That War Can Be Just

From Bard College
Christine  O’Donovan-Zavada,
Tekendra Parmar
Violeta Borilora
Jesse Barlow

From United States Military Academy, West Point
Micah Ables
Taylor Kensy
Gina Rotondo
Brett Schuck

Moderator: William Mullen, Bard College Professor of Classics




9:00 am–9:45 am
Just War in Classical Judaism
Jacob Neusner, Bard College Distinguished Service Professor of the History and Theology of Judaism


9:45 am–10:30 am
Christianity in War
Bruce Chilton, Bard College Bernard Iddings Bell Professor of Religion


Break


11:00 am–11:45 am
Jihad in Classical Islamic Thought
Mairaj Syed, Bard College Assistant Professor of Religion


Lunch


1:00 pm–1:45 pm
Just War in Buddhism
Kristen Scheible, Bard College Assistant Professor of Religion


1:45 pm–2:30 pm 
Hinduism
Richard Davis, Bard College Professor of Religion




3:00 pm–3:45 pm
Fighting the Good Fight
R. E. Tully, United States Military Academy, West Point, Professor of Philosophy


3:45 pm–4:30 pm
Jus ad Bellum and the Islamic Reformation
Mark David Welton, United States Military Academy, West Point, Professor of Law


5:00 pm–7:00 pm
Dinner


7:00 pm–8:00 pm
Fighting Wars Justly: The Legal and Moral Concerns and Consequences of Private Military and Security Contractors in Modern Times
David A. Wallace, United States Military Academy, West Point, Academy Professor and Deputy Head of Department of Law


8:00 pm–9:00 pm
Moral Diligence: An Epistemological Approach to the Issue of Selective Conscientious Objection
Brian J. Imiola, United States Military Academy, West Point, Academy Professor of English and Philosophy

 

 
9:00 am–10:00 am
Just War Theory, Choice and Necessity and Israel’s Responses to Genocidal Threats:  An Evidence-Based Approach
Elihu D Richter, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Professor Emeritus
 

10:00 am–11:00 am
Anticipation in Walzer’s Just War Theory: The Example of Israel’s 1967 First Strike in the Light of Historical Evidence                       
Joel Perlmann, Bard College, Levy Institute Research Professor

 
11:00 am–12:00 pm
Conclusion
William Scott Green, University of Miami, Professor of Religious Studies and Senior Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education

This event was last updated on 03-22-2012

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