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political science 619 Contemporary “Analytic” Political Philosophy First Term, 2003-2004 -- Tuesdays, 4-7 pm
For
more information contact Don
Carmichael at 780/ 492-5390 or Email:
Don.Carmichael@ualberta.ca . Course Outline
This
will be a directed readings survey of the principal recent works in the area
of “analytic”, or “normative” or “contemporary liberal” political
philosophy. Such works,
exemplified by Rawls’ A Theory of Justice, address value-questions in
political life in philosophical terms – in terms that typically combine
consideration of the value-question with careful attention to issues of
justification and philosophical method. The
seminar is open to all graduate students in political philosophy,
but it is intended especially to assist students preparing for comprehensive
examinations in this part of political theory. The topics and readings will
therefore be built around the needs and interests of those taking the course. Students expecting to take the course
are asked to contact the instructor (by phone or email) at the earliest
opportunity to discuss possible topics.
In
the ordinary case, central attention will be given to Rawls -- his work, its
major changes, and its influence.
Other topics may include: democratic theory, self-ownership, rights and modern natural rights theory,
feminism, equality, communitarianism, and world citizenship. More information on these
topics can be found on my home page under Pol S 306 (the undergraduate course
in this area) and in works such as Contemporary Political Philosophy
(ed Goodin and Pettit) and The Cambridge Anthology of Contemporary
Political Philosophy. Texts John Rawls, edited by Erin Kelly, Justice as
fairness : a restatement Stephen
Mulhall and Adam Swift, Liberals and Communitarians Readings
for Political Science 619 (available
in the dept library) TOPICS & READINGS (Provisional) PART 1: Overview on Rawls nb:
tba sometime in the first week (Sept. 3-5): brief organisational meeting Sept. 9 – Introduction
and Background: Rawls – the first version (A Theory of Justice) Mill,
Utilitarianism, ch 5 Mill, “The Harm Principle”, selections from
On Liberty Rawls, A Theory of Justice, sections
1-4, 11 (in ch 1), 26 (in ch 3), 50 (in ch 5), 79 (in ch 9) Kymlicka,
“Liberal Equality” (from Contemporary Political Philosophy, 1st
ed, 50-76). Jencks, “Justice and
Equality of Opportunity” (for illustration) recommended: Mulhall
and Swift, Liberals and Communitarians, Introduction: Rawls’s Original
Position Sept 16 – early communitarian responses: Sandel,
Walzer Mulhall
and Swift, Liberals and
Communitarians: ch 1 (on Sandel) Sandel, “Liberalism and the
Limits of Justice” Mulhall
and Swift, Liberals and
Communitarians, ch 4 (on Walzer) Supreme
Court decision in Sharpe (child pornography) for illustration recommended: Walzer,
“Complex Equality” assigned for Nov 4 Mulhall
& Swift, Liberals and
Communitarians: chs 2, 6 (on MacIntyre, communitarianism) Sept 23 – the ‘later’ Rawls Mulhall and Swift, Liberals and Communitarians,
chs 5 & 7 Rawls,
“Justice as Fairness: Political not Metaphysical” Hampton,
"Should Political Philosophy Be Done Without Metaphysics?" PART 2: Split Sessions on
Rawls’ Restatement and Rights Sept 30 – Restatement (pp 1-61) + Rights (1): Analysis (Hohfeld) Rawls,
Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, pp 1-61 (sections 1-17 in
chs 1-2) Jones, “Forms of Right” Thomson, “A Defence of Abortion” Oct 7 -- Restatement (pp
61-111) + Rights (2):
Justification issues Rawls,
Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, pp 61-111 (sections 18-31) Sumner,
“Conceptual Alternatives” “Abortion
and the Right to Life” (essay by Carmichael, critique by Pocklington) Oct. 14 – Restatement (pp. 111-153) + Rights (3) :
Human Rights Rawls,
Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, pp 111-153 (sections 32-46) Jones,
“Justifying Human Rights” Pocklington,
“Against Inflating Human Rights” recommended:
Simmons, The Lockean Theory of Rights, chs 1-2 Oct. 21 – Restatement (pp
153-202) + Rights (4): Taylor and Hart Rawls,
Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, pp. 153-202 (sections
47-60) Taylor, “Atomism” Hart,
“Are There Any Natural Rights?” recommended: Mulhall
and Swift, Liberals and
Communitarians, ch 3 (on Taylor) – assigned for Nov 18 PART 3: Topics and Debates within Liberalism Today Oct. 28 – Neutrality
(Dworkin) / Perfectionism (Raz) Mulhall
and Swift, Liberals and
Communitarians, ch 9 (Dworkin) Dworkin,
“Foundations of Liberal Equality”, pp. 285 - 306. Mulhall and Swift, Liberals and Communitarians,
ch 10 (on Raz) Nov 4 – Self-ownership &
Libertarianism / Equality Berlin, "Two Concepts of Liberty" Nozick, “Distributive Justice” Cohen, “Reevaluating Liberty of Contract
and Self-Ownership” Williams, “The Idea of
Equality” Walzer,
“Complex Equality” Sen,
“Equality of what?” also
see: Mulhall
and Swift, Liberals and
Communitarians, ch 4 (on Walzer) from Sept 16 Nov 11 – Remembrance Day Nov 18 – Multiculturalism / Charles Taylor Parekh,
“Contemporary Liberal Responses to Diversity” Taylor,
“The Politics of Recognition” Kymlicka,
“Freedom and Culture” Barry,
“Theories of Group Rights” Mulhall
and Swift, Liberals and
Communitarians, ch 3 (on Taylor) recommended: Taylor,
Sources of the Self , chs
1-3, 25 Barry,
Culture and Equality pp. 279-84 (on Taylor) and 308-17 (on Kymlicka) PART 3 (a) Topics and Debates -- New Directions? Nov 25 – “Pot-pourri”: Citizenship / Democratic Theory
/ Anti-Foundationalism (Rorty) Kymlicka,
“Citizenship Theory”, pp 285-93 Cohen,
Deliberation and Democratic Legitimacy” Young,
“Polity and Group Difference” Nussbaum,
“Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism” Rorty,
Irony, contingency and solidarity, 73-95:
“Private irony and liberal hope” recommended: Mill, Representative Government, selections from chapter 3 Barber,
“Strong Democracy” Elster,
“The Market and The Forum” Mulhall
and Swift, Liberals and
Communitarians, ch 8 (on Rorty) Dec 2 – The Capabilities Approach /
‘analytic’ political philosophy in review Nussbaum,
“Human Capabilities, Female Human Beings” Pettit,
“The Contribution of Analytic Philosophy” also
see: Sen, “Equality of what?” –
from Nov 4 |
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