PY413-7-SP-CO:
Contemporary Political Philosophy
2023/24
Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies (School of)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 15 January 2024
Friday 22 March 2024
20
23 October 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MA VL5212 Social and Political Thought,
NONPV591SP Internationalisation Experience and Professional Development in Western Marxism
This module introduces students to competing approaches in contemporary political philosophy. It scrutinises different ways to conceptual the political and the multiple challenges we are facing today: e.g., the crisis of the environment, of democracy, of war and peace, of justice, of facing up to colonialism and structural racism.
In short, this module explores the contribution contemporary political philosophy makes to a better comprehension of our social and political world and is geared to finding new solutions. This module is, in other words, concerned with the role that political philosophy can play in the world today and how it relates to politics.
The aims of this module are:
- To deepen knowledge of key approaches to contemporary political philosophy;
- To further their grasp of what politics is and challenges we are facing today;
- To be able to identify and critically examine the presuppositions and assumptions we often make when talking about politics;
- To appreciate the different ways in which political philosophy bears on politics and creatively think about solutions to the complex problems we are facing.
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate an advanced ability to summarise in their own words and critically assess the principal theories and philosophical perspectives examined in this course;
- Demonstrate an advanced ability to compare and evaluate conflicting accounts of the political, its values and principles;
- Offer detailed and sophisticated philosophical analysis and critique of journal articles published in the field;
- Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the relation between political theory and practice by relating, for example, particular theories to contemporary challenges.
Skills for your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)
By the end of the module, students should also have acquired a set of transferable skills, and in particular be able to:
- Define the task in which they are engaged and exclude what is irrelevant;
- Seek and organise the most relevant discussions and sources of information;
- Compare and evaluate different arguments and assess the limitations of their own position or procedure;
- Be sensitive to the published positions of others and communicate their own views in ways that are accessible to them;
- Whenever possible, think 'laterally' and creatively - see interesting connections and possibilities and present these clearly rather than as vague hunches;
- Maintain intellectual flexibility and revise their own position if shown wrong.
This module introduces students to competing approaches in contemporary political philosophy. It scrutinises different ways to conceptual the political and the multiple challenges we are facing today: e.g., the crisis of the environment, of democracy, of war and peace, of justice, of facing up to colonialism and structural racism. In short, this module explores the contribution contemporary political philosophy makes to a better comprehension of our social and political world and is geared to finding new solutions. This module is, in other words, concerned with the role that political philosophy can play in the world today and how it relates to politics.
The module is taught by philosophers who are well-versed in a range of approaches to political philosophy and who invoke a wide range of case studies that bear on policy-making, politics, law, and social issues more broadly. The exact content will vary depending on the expertise of the members of staff teaching the module.
By taking part in discussions, students will develop their abilities for structured discussion and well-constructed arguments. These skills will prepare them appropriately to intervene in the political domain and contribute to the on-going debates about how best to tackle the challenges we face.
This module will be delivered via:
- One 2-hour lecture per week.
- One 1-hour seminar per week.
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Rawls, J. and Kelly, E.L. (2001)
Justice as Fairness. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=2110245.
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Fraser, N. (1991) ‘The Force of Law: Metaphysical or Political?’,
Cardozo Law Review, 13, pp. 1325–1331. Available at:
https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/cdozo13&i=1347.
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Geuss, R. (2008)
Philosophy and real politics. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Available at:
https://www-jstor-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/stable/j.ctt24hr9j.
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Williams, B. and Hawthorn, G. (2005)
In the beginning was the deed: realism and moralism in political argument. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=445427.
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Tully, J. (2008)
Public philosophy in a new key. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available at:
http://www.vlebooks.com/vleweb/product/openreader?id=essexacuk&accId=7572256&isbn=9780511461910.
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Thomas, L. (2010) ‘Foucault’s Hypothesis: From the Critique of the Juridico-Discursive Concept of Power to an Analytics of Government’,
Parrhesia, (9), pp. 31–43. Available at:
https://www.parrhesiajournal.org/parrhesia09/parrhesia09_lemke.pdf.
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Fraser, N. and Honneth, A. (2003) Redistribution or recognition??: a political-philosophical exchange. London: Verso Books.
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Miller, J. (2021)
Politics of Perception and the Aesthetics of Social Change. New York: Columbia University Press. Available at:
https://www-degruyter-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/document/doi/10.7312/mill20142/html.
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Taylor, C. and Gutmann, A. (1992)
Multiculturalism and ‘The politics of recognition’: an essay. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=816125.
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Honneth, A. and Ranciere, J. (2016)
Recognition or Disagreement. NY: Columbia University Press. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4471743.
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Ranciere, J. (2004b) Disagreement. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press.
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The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Coursework |
4000 word essay |
|
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Joerg Schaub, email: jschaub@essex.ac.uk.
PHAIS Postgraduate Queries: phaispg@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dr Alexander Golob
King's College London
Senior Lecturer
Available via Moodle
Of 30 hours, 30 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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