Master
2022/2023
Theories of Justice
Type:
Compulsory course (Politics. Economics. Philosophy)
Area of studies:
Political Science
Delivered by:
School of Theory of Law and Comparative Law
Where:
Faculty of Social Sciences
When:
2 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of one campus
Master’s programme:
Политика. Экономика. Философия
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
5
Contact hours:
40
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This course provides a general overview of contemporary political thought on distributive justice. The course focuses on the major political theories of distributive justice, proposed since 1970 up to now. It covers the issue of relationship between justice and efficiency, equality, desert, etc., and such scapes of justice as international and intergenerational aspects of distributive policies.
Learning Objectives
- The main aim of the course is to familiarise students with ongoing academic debates on the issue of just resource distribution in political society. It covers basic, but comprehensive problems within contemporary political theories of distributive justice and some methodological questions of normative political philosophy.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- The students shall know the basic works of Dworkin and be able to characterize them
- The knowledge of the major theories of utilitarian justice from Bentham to the contemporary welfare utilitarianism
- The knowledge of the system of arguments of John Rawls Theory of Justice. Understanding of its methodology and normative principles
- Understanding of the methodology and normative principles of the contemporary liberatarianism including the theory of Robert Nozick
- By the end of this course studets should be able to analyze social and political problems from utilitarianism perspective.
- Understanding basic concepts of Amartya Sen's approach
- Understanding the problem of ideal theory and utopianism
- Understanding the problem of justice in global context
- Understanding the problem of overlapping generations in the context of justice
Course Contents
- Utilitarianism
- John Rawls’s theory of justice
- Luck egalitarianism
- Libertarianism and distribution
- Amartya Sen’s idea of justice
- Ideal and non-ideal theories
- International and global justice
- Intergenerational justice
Assessment Elements
- Classroom activityThe students are being assessed on the basis of their attendance of the classes and activity in the discussions in the classroom: they have to show their knowledge of the lecture material, recommended literature and their own analysis and research.
- Written examThe written exam during which the students write an essay on one of the topics offered by the lecturer. They are not allowed to use any resources, texts, etc.
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- A theory of justice, Rawls, J., 2005
- Anarchy, state, and utopia, Nozick, R., 1974
- Contemporary political philosophy : an introduction, Kymlicka, W., 2002
- Creating capabilities : the human development approach, Nussbaum, M. C., 2011
- Economic justice and liberty : the social philosophy in John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism, Su, H.-chun, 2013
- Intergenerational justice, , 2012
- Law's empire, Dworkin, R., 1998
- On global justice, Risse, M., 2012
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- A history of utilitarian ethics : studies in private motivation and distributive justice, 1700-1875, Hollander, S., 2020
- Capabilities and social justice : the political philosophy of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, Alexander, J. M., 2008
- Cosmopolitan regard : political membership and global justice, Vernon, R., 2010
- Demographic change and intergenerational justice : the implementation of long-term thinking in the political decision making process, , 2008
- Existential utopia : new perspectives on utopian thought, , 2012
- Fool's gold? : utopianism in the twenty-first century, Sargisson, L., 2012
- Frontiers of justice : disability, nationality, species membership, Nussbaum, M. C., 2007
- Global economy, global justice : theoretical objections and policy alternatives to neoliberalism, DeMartino, G., 2000
- Globalization and global justice : shrinking distance, expanding obligations, Hassoun, N., 2012
- Intergenerational justice : rights and responsibilities in an intergenerational polity, Thompson, J., 2009
- John Rawls : an introduction, Lehning, P. B., 2009
- John Rawls: critical assessments of leading political philosophers. Vol.1: Foundations and method, Rawls, J., 2006
- John Rawls: critical assessments of leading political philosophers. Vol.2: Principles of justice I, Rawls, J., 2006
- John Rawls: critical assessments of leading political philosophers. Vol.3: Principles of justice II, Rawls, J., 2006
- John Rawls: critical assessments of leading political philosophers. Vol.4: Political liberalism and The law of peoples, Rawls, J., 2006
- Justice as fairness : a restatement, Rawls, J., 2004
- Libertarianism : what everyone needs to know, Brennan, J., 2012