Social and Global Justice
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| POLI2043 | Politics and International Relations | 2 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- POLI2043
- School
- Politics and International Relations
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
Social justice has been one of the key themes of political theory at least from the time of Plato, as questions of who gets what, when, and why are absolutely central to political discourse. Should people be able to keep what they earn with their talents, or is it only fair to take wealth away from those who have it to give to those who have little? What kinds of rights and opportunities should be enshrined in law? What kinds of opportunities (for careers and education) should be available to citizens and to what extent? Is civil disobedience justified? Recently these questions of distributive and social justice have taken on a global dimension. Does the developed world have obligations to distant others, and do they have rights against it? What kinds of environmental concerns raise issues that require we sacrifice our own interests for the good of others? Do non-human animals have rights, including the right not to be bred and killed for human consumption? This module will look at these questions from a contemporary perspective, looking at ideas about justice from thinkers such as the utilitarians, John Rawls, Robert Nozick, Catriona McKinnon, and Susan Moller Okin. The module is framed by the issues raised in Martin Luther King Jnr's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' where questions of equality, fair treatment, liberty, opportunity, wealth, and direct civil action were forced onto the contemporary political stage, and which continue to shape our understanding of modern liberal democratic societies.
Target Students
Available to Year 2 UG students in the School of Politics and International Relations on single and joint honours plans. Also available to Year 2 UG students on the Philosophy, Politics and Economics plan, incoming exchange students based in the School of Politics and International Relations, and Ningbo International Studies students.
Classes
This module is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.
Assessment
- 25% Coursework 1: 1,000 word review
- 25% Coursework 2: 1,000 word review
- 50% Exam 1 (1-hour): Seen Exam
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
• To introduce students to core concepts and principal theories in political philosophy, especially the concepts of justice and equality and how they have shaped the discipline;• To encourage students to be able to think analytically and critically about the meaning of these concepts; to access a broad range of research materials, and to read and evaluate literature in the discipline to encourage students to think about and demonstrate the ability to write, discuss, and defend a viewpoint and to consider reasonable alternatives;• To encourage students to develop good written and verbal skills, as well as the application of these skills to particular issues and problems.Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
Intellectual skills
• Develop a general knowledge and understanding of the principal theories, views, and texts that have shaped the discipline of contemporary political theory/philosophy, particularly with regard to questions of social justice.
• Show awareness and understanding of key conceptual and methodological issues in the study of contemporary political theory, along with the current state of disciplinary debate amongst these theories and countervailing viewpoints.
• Show awareness of the policy and ethical implications and consequences of various political perspectives and theories
Students will be able to:
Professional and practical skills
• The ability to access a range of research material in the discipline of political theory/philosophy, including primary and secondary sources.
• Demonstrate skills in critical reading and textual analysis of key literature, as well as preparing for, discussing, and writing about their knowledge.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and state a thesis and provide reasoned support and argument for it, drawing on relevant empirical evidence where necessary and appropriate.
Students will be able to:
Transferable (key) skills
• Develop good written and verbal skills, including argumentative and analytical skills.
• The ability to conduct research in a manner consistent with the discipline of political theory/philosophy.
• The ability to access and use web-based information and information technology for research, discussion, interaction, and other tasks.
• Develop familiarity with the disciplinary concepts, vocabulary, and ideas employed by political theorists.