Associate Professor Deane Baker

Associate Professor Deane Baker

Associate Professor
UNSW Canberra
School of Humanities & Social Sciences

Associate Professor Deane-Peter Baker 

Dr Deane-Peter Baker is an Associate Professor of Ethics in the School of Humanities and Social Science at UNSW Canberra, and Director of the Military Ethics Research Lab and Innovation Network (MERLIN). He is also a Senior Visiting Research Fellow in the Kings College London Centre for Military Ethics. He is co-author of the first full-length treatment of the ethics of special operations, The Ethics of Special Ops: Raids, Recoveries, Reconnaissance, and Rebels, with Roger Herbert and David Whetham, (Cambridge University Press 2023). In response to the Brereton report, Baker was selected by Australia’s Special Operations Command to design and develop the command’s ethics education and training response. He is the only scholar to serve on the expert panels for both the ADF Ethics Doctrine and the ADF Character Doctrine. Baker engages widely across the ADF, including as Ethics Fellow to the Australian Command and Staff Course and the Defence Strategic Studies Courses (the ADF’s most senior course). He also engages internationally, including with US, UK and European special forces. He served as a panellist on the International Panel on the Regulation of Autonomous Weapons (IPRAW) and convened ‘The Canberra Group’, an independent and international group of scholars and practitioners who together developed the international ‘Guiding Principles for the Development and Use of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems’. Other key publications include Should We Ban Killer Robots? (Polity Press 2022), Morality and Ethics at War: Bridging the Gaps Between the Soldier and the State (Bloomsbury Academic 2020), Citizen Killings: Liberalism, State Policy and Moral Risk (Bloomsbury Academic 2016), and Just Warriors Inc.: The Ethics of Privatized Force (Continuum/Bloomsbury 2020)

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Phone
+61 2 5114 5078
  • Books | 2023
    Baker D-P; Jr RGH; Whetham D, 2023, The Ethics of Special Ops Raids, Recoveries, Reconnaissance and Rebels
    Books | 2023
    Baker DP; Black R; Herbert R; King I, 2023, ETHICS AT WAR How: Should Military Personnel Make Ethical Decisions?, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003312925
    Books | 2022
    2022, Should We Ban Killer Robots?
    Books | 2020
    Baker D-P, 2020, Morality and Ethics at War Bridging the Gaps Between the Soldier and the State, Bloomsbury Academic
    Books | 2016
    Baker D-P, 2016, Citizen Killings Liberalism, State Policy and Moral Risk, Bloomsbury Publishing
    Books | 2011
    Baker D-P, 2011, Just Warriors, Inc. The Ethics of Privatized Force, A&C Black
    Books | 2007
    Baker D-P, 2007, Tayloring Reformed Epistemology Charles Taylor, Alvin Plantinga and the de Jure Challenge to Christian Belief, Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd
  • Book Chapters | 2023
    Baker D-P; Black R; Herbert R; King I, 2023, 'Introduction', in Ethics at War, Routledge, pp. 1 - 15, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003312925-1
    Book Chapters | 2023
    Baker DP; Black R; Herbert R; King I, 2023, 'INTRODUCTION', in Ethics at War How: Should Military Personnel Make Ethical Decisions?, pp. 1 - 16, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003312925-1
    Book Chapters | 2023
    Baker DP, 2023, 'BAKER RESPONSE', in Ethics at War How: Should Military Personnel Make Ethical Decisions?, pp. 99 - 108, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003312925-8
    Book Chapters | 2023
    Baker DP, 2023, 'Ethics, strategy, and Australian air power in the 21st century', in Australian Perspectives on Global Air and Space Power: Past, Present, Future, pp. 151 - 159, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003230656-18
    Book Chapters | 2023
    Baker DP, 2023, 'THE ETHICAL TRIANGULATION MODEL', in Ethics at War How: Should Military Personnel Make Ethical Decisions?, pp. 19 - 36, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003312925-3
    Book Chapters | 2021
    Baker DP, 2021, 'The robot dogs of war', in Lethal Autonomous Weapons: Re-Examining the Law and Ethics of Robotic Warfare, pp. 25 - 40, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197546048.003.0003
    Book Chapters | 2020
    Baker D, 2020, 'Rethinking the Ethics of Private War', in The Routledge Handbook to Rethinking Ethics in International Relations, Routledge
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Baker D; Pfotenhauer D, 2017, 'The Strategic Contractor', in The Strategic Corporal Revisited: Challenges Facing Combatants in 21st Century Warfare, University of Cape Town Press, Cape Town, South Africa, pp. 55 - 72
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Baker D, 2017, 'Closing the circle: Rethinking the connection between research, education and training in military ethics', in Ethics Under Fire
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Baker D, 2017, 'Special Forces and Ethics: A preliminary assessment of the Leadership Challenge', in Olsthoorn P (ed.), Military Ethics and Leadership, Brill, http://www.brill.com/products/book/military-ethics-and-leadership
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Baker D, 2016, 'Is it Ethical for States to Prevent their Citizens from Working as TCN Military and Security Contractors?', in Berndtsson J; Kinsey C (ed.), The Ashgate Research Companion to Outsourcing Foreign Policy the Role of the Market in 21st Century Warfare, Routledge, New York, pp. 191 - 198
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Civil-Military Relations', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Collateral Damage and the Doctrine of Double Effect', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Conclusion', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Conscription', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Consequentialist Ethics', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Ending Wars: Jus ex bello and jus post bellum', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Ethical Triangulation', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Illegal Orders and Whistleblowing', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Introduction', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Moral Ambiguity and Ethical Dilemma, 1915 – 2015', in Moral Injury Unseen Wounds in an Age of Barbarism, NewSouth, Sydney, pp. 98 - 111
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Rights', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'The Military and the Media', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'The Triangular Balance', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Baker D-P, 2014, 'Ethics or Politics? The Palmer Commission Report on the 2010 Gaza Flotilla Incident', in Lovell D (ed.), Investigating Operational Incidents in a Military Context: Law, Justice, Politics, Brill, http://www.brill.com/products/book/investigating-operational-incidents-military-context
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Baker D; Pattison J, 2013, 'Mercenaries and Private Military/Security Companies', in International Encyclopaedia of Ethics, Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 3205 - 3212, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781444367072
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Baker D, 2013, 'The Ethics Question: Towards a Normative Framework for PCRD', in Neethling T; Hudson H (ed.), Post-conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa: Concepts, Role-Players, Policy and Practice, UCT Press, Cape Town, pp. 89 - 110, http://www.uctpress.co.za/
    Book Chapters | 2013
    Baker D, 2013, 'The Ethics of Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa', in Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development: The South African Perspective, University of Cape Town Press
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Baker D, 2011, 'Tactical Ethics: An evaluation of the Israeli naval commando assault on the MV Mavi Marmara', in Drawing a Line in the Sea: Israel and the Gaza Blockade, Lexington Books
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Baker D, 2011, 'To Whom does a Private Military Commander Owe a Moral Duty? Reflections on the Trustworthiness of Private Warriors', in New Wars and New Soldiers: Military Ethics in the Contemporary World
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Baker D, 2011, 'To Whom does a Private Military Commander Owe a Moral Duty? Reflections on the Trustworthiness of Private Warriors', in New Wars and New Soldiers: Military Ethics in the Contemporary World, Ashgate
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Baker D, 2011, 'Will Global Demand for Private Military Services in Major Conflicts Continue?', in Merchants of African Conflict: More than Just a Pound of Flesh, Institute for Security Studies
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Baker DP, 2011, 'To whom does a private military commander owe allegiance?', in New Wars and New Soldiers: Military Ethics in the Contemporary World, pp. 181 - 198
    Book Chapters | 2010
    Baker D; O'Neill M, 2010, 'Introduction: Contemporary South Africa and Counterinsurgency', in South Africa and Contemporary Insurgencies: Roots, Challenges and Prospects, University of Cape Town Press
    Book Chapters | 2010
    Baker D, 2010, 'Preparing for Hybrid Wars: Structuring, Equipping and Training the South African Army of the Future', in South Africa and Contemporary Insurgencies: Roots, Challenges and Prospects, University of Cape Town Press
    Book Chapters | 2008
    Baker D, 2008, 'Introduction: The Ethics and Governance of Private Military and Security Companies', in Private Military Companies: Ethics, Policies and Civil-Military Relations, Routledge
    Book Chapters | 2008
    Baker DP, 2008, 'Of 'mercenaries' and prostitutes: Can private warriors be ethical?', in Private Military and Security Companies: Ethics, Policies and Civil-Military Relations, pp. 30 - 42, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203930830
    Book Chapters | 2007
    Baker D, 2007, 'Defending the Common Life: National Defence after Rodin', in War, Torture and Terrorism, Blackwell
    Book Chapters | 2007
    Baker D, 2007, 'Introduction: Alvin Plantinga, God’s Philosopher', in Alvin Plantinga, Cambridge University Press
    Book Chapters | 2006
    Baker D, 2006, 'Introduction', in Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Book Chapters | 2004
    Baker D, 2004, 'Charles Taylor', in Great Thinkers A-Z, Continuum Press
    Book Chapters | 2003
    Baker D; Maxwell P, 2003, 'Introduction', in Explorations in Contemporary Continental Philosophy of Religion, Rodopi
    Book Chapters | 2003
    Baker D, 2003, 'Imago Dei: towards a Transcendental Argument for the Existence of God', in Explorations in Contemporary Continental Philosophy of Religion, Rodopi
    Book Chapters | 2002
    Baker D, 2002, 'Ethical Theories', in Handbook for the Code of Professional Ethics, South African Council for Educators
  • Edited Books | 2017
    Baker D; lovell DW, (ed.), 2017, The Strategic Corporal Revisited: Challenges Facing Combatants in 21st Century Warfare
    Edited Books | 2015
    Baker D-P, 2015, Key Concepts in Military Ethics, UNSW Press
    Edited Books | 2010
    Baker D; Jordaan E, (ed.), 2010, South Africa and Contemporary Counterinsurgency, University of Cape Town Press, Cape Town South Africa, https://juta.co.za/products/south-africa-and-contemporary-counterinsurgency
    Edited Books | 2008
    Alexandra A; Baker DP; Caparini M, 2008, Private military and security companies: Ethics, policies and civil-military relations, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203930830
    Edited Books | 2007
    Baker DP, 2007, Alvin Plantinga, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511611247
    Edited Books | 2003
    Baker D; Maxwell P, (ed.), 2003, Explorations in Contemporary Continental Philosophy of Religion, Rodopi
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Baker DP; Townsend N, 2024, 'Defiant heroism or wilful disobedience? John ‘Jack’ Hinton and the ethics of disobedience in war', Defence Studies, 24, pp. 349 - 364, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14702436.2024.2346486
    Journal articles | 2018
    Baker D, 2018, 'Special operations remote advise and assist: an ethics assessment', Ethics and Information Technology, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10676-018-9483-3
    Journal articles | 2016
    Baker DP, 2016, 'Rebellion and African Ethics', Journal of Military Ethics, 15, pp. 288 - 298, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15027570.2017.1284462
    Journal articles | 2015
    Baker D, 2015, 'Force Protection’s Last Resort: Evaluating the Browning Hi-Power MkIII’s Adequacy for the Australian Army of Tomorrow', The Australian Army Journal, pp. 121 - 134, http://www.army.gov.au/~/media/Army/Our%20future/Publications/AAJ/Current%20Edition/AAJ2015_001_08_Force_protections_last_resort.pdf
    Journal articles | 2015
    Baker DP, 2015, 'Abortion and civil disobedience', American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly, 89, pp. 139 - 151, http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/acpq2014122345
    Journal articles | 2015
    Baker DP, 2015, 'Epistemic uncertainty and excusable wars', Philosophical Forum, 46, pp. 55 - 69, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/phil.12055
    Journal articles | 2014
    Baker D-P, 2014, '‘Dreams of Battle’: A Small Window into the Evolution of U.S. Army Tactical Ethics, 1921 – 2009', Journal of Military Ethics: normative aspects of the use of military force, 13, pp. 302 - 319, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15027570.2014.990702
    Journal articles | 2014
    Baker D, 2014, 'Gun Bans, Risk and Self-Defense', International Journal of Applied Philosophy, 28, pp. 235 - 249, http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/ijap2014111826
    Journal articles | 2014
    Baker D, 2014, '‘Enter the J.E.D.I.: Enhancing Ethical Performance in the Military through Embedded Excellence’', Scientia Militaria : South African Journal of Military Studies, 42, pp. 177 - 187, http://dx.doi.org/10.5787/42-2-1099
    Journal articles | 2012
    Baker D, 2012, 'The South African Navy and Maritime Security', Naval War College Review
    Journal articles | 2012
    Baker DP; Pattison J, 2012, 'The principled case for employing private military and security companies in interventions for human rights purposes', Journal of Applied Philosophy, 29, pp. 1 - 18, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5930.2011.00548.x
    Journal articles | 2012
    Baker DP, 2012, 'Making good better: A proposal for teaching ethics at the service academies', Journal of Military Ethics, 11, pp. 208 - 222, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15027570.2012.738502
    Journal articles | 2011
    Baker D-P; Roberts D, 2011, 'EXTENDING JUST WAR THEORY: THE JUS AD BELLUM AND THE CAPABILITIES APPROACH TO ARMED CONFLICT', Scientia Militaria - South African Journal of Military Studies, 35, http://dx.doi.org/10.5787/35-2-36
    Journal articles | 2011
    Baker D-P, 2011, 'THE FUTURE OF WARFIGHTING', Scientia Militaria - South African Journal of Military Studies, 34, http://dx.doi.org/10.5787/34-1-18
    Journal articles | 2010
    Baker DP, 2010, 'Securing South Africa: A guide for the national planning commission', African Security Review, 19, pp. 90 - 101, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10246029.2010.539815
    Journal articles | 2010
    Baker DP, 2010, 'South Africa's threat environment: A guide for the national planning commission', African Security Review, 19, pp. 54 - 64, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10246029.2010.519878
    Journal articles | 2009
    Baker D-P; Maeresera S, 2009, 'SADCBRIG intervention in SADC member states: Reasons to doubt', African Security Review, 18, pp. 105 - 110, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10246029.2009.9627519
    Journal articles | 2009
    Baker D, 2009, 'Dawkins’ Moral Argument in The God Delusion', Journal of Theology for South Africa
    Journal articles | 2009
    Baker D, 2009, 'Walterstorff’s Reformed Epistemology', Scriptura: international journal of bible, religion and theology in southern Africa
    Journal articles | 2009
    Baker DP, 2009, 'Sources of the self as an argument for theism', Philosophical Papers, 38, pp. 401 - 416, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/05568640903320063
    Journal articles | 2008
    Baker D; Roberts D, 2008, 'Assessing the Capabilities Approach to the Ethics of Armed Conflict: Jus in Bello and the Case of Operation Cobra II', Politeia
    Journal articles | 2007
    Baker D-P, 2007, 'The AU Standby Force and the Challenge of Somalia', African Security Review, 16, pp. 120 - 123, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10246029.2007.9627422
    Journal articles | 2007
    Baker D, 2007, 'Agency Theory: A New Model of Civil-Military Relations for Africa?', African Journal on Conflict Resolution
    Journal articles | 2007
    Baker D, 2007, 'Perceiving God? A Critical Analysis of William Alston’s Reformed Epistemology', Scriptura: international journal of bible, religion and theology in southern Africa
    Journal articles | 2006
    BAKER D-P, 2006, 'Defending the Common Life: National-Defence After Rodin', Journal of Applied Philosophy, 23, pp. 259 - 275, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5930.2006.00340.x
    Journal articles | 2006
    Baker DP; Beck S; Spurrett D, 2006, 'Editorial: New developments at the SAJP', South African Journal of Philosophy, 25, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02580136.2006.10751578
    Journal articles | 2005
    Baker D, 2005, 'Moral Asymmetry in Contemporary Warfare', Theoria: a journal of social and political theory
    Journal articles | 2005
    Baker DP; Beck S; Spurrett D, 2005, 'Editorial', South African Journal of Philosophy, 24, pp. 61 - 63, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02580136.2005.10751555
    Journal articles | 2005
    Baker DP, 2005, 'Divine foreknowledge - So what?', Heythrop Journal - Quarterly Review of Philosophy and Theology, 46, pp. 60 - 65, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2265.2005.250_1.x
    Journal articles | 2005
    Baker DP, 2005, 'Plantinga's reformed epistemology: What's the question?', International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, 57, pp. 77 - 103, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-004-1681-8
    Journal articles | 2004
    Baker DP; Beck S; Spurrett D, 2004, 'Editorial', South African Journal of Philosophy, 23, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02580136.2004.10751540
    Journal articles | 2003
    Baker D, 2003, 'Condemned to Meaning’: A critical review of recent work on Charles Taylor', Theoria: a journal of social and political theory
    Journal articles | 2003
    Baker D, 2003, 'Don’t Kick the Habit’: A Taylorian Critique of Rorty’s Achieving Our Country', Theoria: a journal of social and political theory
    Journal articles | 2003
    Baker D, 2003, 'Morality, Structure, Transcendence and Theism: A response to Melissa Lane’s reading of Charles Taylor’s Sources of the Self', International Journal for Philosophy of Religion
    Journal articles | 2003
    Baker D, 2003, 'Taking the Quandary out of Christian Ethics', Journal of Theology for Southern Africa
    Journal articles | 2002
    Baker D, 2002, 'Transcendental Arguments, The Truman Show and Original Sin', Journal of Theology for Southern Africa
    Journal articles | 2001
    Baker D, 2001, 'Mackie’s ethical theory: is there space for a Taylor-made conception of the good?', South African Journal of Philosophy
    Journal articles | 2000
    Baker D, 2000, 'Charles Taylor’s Sources of the self: a Transcendental Apologetic?', International Journal for Philosophy of Religion
    Journal articles | 1999
    Baker DP, 1999, 'Taylor and Parfit on personal identity: a response to Lötter', South African Journal of Philosophy, 18, pp. 331 - 346, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02580136.1999.10878192
  • Reports | 2023
    Baker D, 2023, Autonomous Systems Matrix Wargame Final Report, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/28547
    Conference Abstracts | 2022
    Baker DP, 2022, 'MORAL INJURY: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN SOLDIER AND STATE', in AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD, Vol. 56, pp. 147 - 147, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000792769900347&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1
    Conference Abstracts | 2022
    Pai N; Phelps AJ; Baker DP; Alexander A; Dell L, 2022, 'MORAL INJURY: A CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE', in AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD, Vol. 56, pp. 146 - 146, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000792769900344&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1