James Pattison

I am a Professor of Politics at the University of Manchester.

I am currently working on two projects. The first considers the ethical challenges posed by a rising global authoritarianism. It considers, for instance, changes to to the responsibility to protect posed by moves towards a post-liberal order and the ethics of tackling democratic backsliding.

The second (with Luke Glanville at ANU) considers the ethics of global prioritisation. Although states have global responsibilities across several issue areas, they also have significant budgetary and resource limitations in what they can do to tackle all the various ongoing and potential crises worldwide. Tackling one crisis, and fulfilling one set of responsibilities, typically raises opportunity costs for other crises and for fulfilling global responsibilities elsewhere. In the face of budgetary and resource limitations, states have to decide which global responsibilities they will focus on. If states cannot fulfill all their global responsibilities, such as to tackle mass atrocities, global poverty, disease, and climate change, which should they prioritise? Our book, Prioritizing Global Responsibilities, was published by OUP in summer 2024.
 
More generally, my work focuses on ethical issues in global peace and security. I have particular research expertise on humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect (R2P), Just War Theory, private security, and the alternatives to war (e.g. sanctions).

I have published four books (all with Oxford University Press) and numerous journal articles, including in British Journal of Political Science, Ethics & International Affairs, European Journal of International Relations, International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Political Philosophy, and Review of International Studies.

My 2024 book (with Luke Glanville) examines how states should prioritise ethically between their various responsibilities beyond their borders (Prioritizing Global Responsibilities).

My 2018 book examines the ethics of the alternatives to war  (The Alternatives to War: From Sanctions to Nonviolence, Oxford University Press). An interview with me about the book for the Carnegie Council is here. I have also put together a module guide for teaching the alternatives to war.

My 2014 book considers the ethical challenges posed by the rise of private military and security companies (The Morality of Private War: The Challenges of Private Military and Security Companies, Oxford University Press).

My 2010 book explores the ethics of humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect, focusing on the question of who should intervene (Humanitarian Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect: Who Should Intervene?, Oxford University Press)

From 2025, I will be a co- Lead Editor, with Ulrich Petersohn, of the Journal of Global Security Studies.

I also currently co-edit (with Michael Gross) a book series on War, Conflict, and Ethics for Routledge. Please feel free to contact me with book ideas.

I gained my PhD from Newcastle University in 2006. From 2007-2009, I was a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of the West of England, Bristol. I joined Manchester in 2009 and was promoted to full professor in 2014. I have served as the Director of Research and the Politics REF coordinator for the 2021 REF, where we climbed to 8th (from 19th). I currently serve on the University Senate. I have served on the Governing Council of the ISA and currently co-convene the International Political Theory section of the ECPR.

I am willing and keen to supervise PhD students in my areas of interest.

Current teaching

POLI 32071: Between War and Peace

POLI 70492: Human Rights in World Politics

POLI 60502: Human Rights Vocational Placement

Arguing about Politics

PhD supervision

Teaching Ethos

I have taught for over ten years on a wide variety of courses, covering from Chinese foreign policy to the political philosophies of Kant and Hegel. I aim to deliver innovative, effective, and popular teaching. Most of my teaching links to my research interests in human rights, International Relations, and political theory. Indeed, my courses often draw directly on my research. For instance, previous modules that I have run have had sessions on Syria, the NATO intervention in Libya in 2011, and the ethical problems raised by the privatisation of military force. One of my central aims is to encourage a lively and fruitful debate, so that students are clear that they have learned from and enjoyed the session.

Areas of specialisation: the ethics of war, private military and security companies, the responsibility to protect, humanitarian intervention, the alternatives to war

Areas of competence: political philosophy, International Relations