Philosophy
Current Students: Undergraduates
Core modules and Options at Level 9
PHI9R4 - Political Philosophy
Political philosophy concerns the kind of society that we ought to live in. This course will be loosely based around the themes of liberty, equality and community, though along the way we shall consider a number of related issues, such as the justification of state authority, the merits of democratic government, the requirements of justice, whether minority groups should have any special rights, and whether we have stronger duties to our co-nationals than to foreigners. The course will focus primarily on contemporary arguments, but also draw where relevant on historical thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, and J. S. Mill.
Outcomes
- To introduce students to central debates in political philosophy.
- To enable students to develop their own critical stance on these debates.
- The module further aims to improve critical reading, critical thinking and oral communication skills through the seminar disucssion and essay writing processes. (Refer to Section B of the Student Handbook for more details).
Reading Material
A number of useful textbooks and anthologies are available and several will be used in the course. Students seeking a taster of what the course will cover may try either
David Miller - Political Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (OUP) or Adam Swift - Political Philosophy: A Beginner's Guide for Students and Politicians (Polity)
Availability: |
Honours (semester 4 or 6), 3 Year and General Degree |
|---|---|
Prerequisite: |
Any two of PHI911, PHI912, or PHI913 |
Assessment: |
Coursework: 50 per cent (2 essays); examination 50 per cent (three hours, three questions) |
Teaching Pattern: |
Two lectures and one one-hour seminar each week |
Regulations: |
Seminars on this module are prescribed . Seminar involving presentations are compulsory . Attendance, coursework, and exam regulations are laid out in the Philosophy Student Handbook, section F. |
If you would like to know more about this module please contact Ben Saunders.