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Political Philosophy

Vak
2024-2025

Admission requirements

Admission to this course is restricted to second-year BA students Philosophy, enrolled in the Global and Comparative Perspectives track.

Description

This course offers an introduction to political philosophy. By reading a range of key texts, both historical and contemporary, students will gain familiarity with central concepts and debates in political philosophy. We will consider questions such as: What (if anything) justifies the authority of the state? What does it mean to be free? What makes a regime democratic? What is justice, and what would a just society look like?

Course objectives

The course aims to give students a basic grounding in contemporary political philosophy.

Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:

  • some fundamental concepts in political philosophy;

  • some of the critical problems that they raise in theory, as well as in political practice;

  • selections from works by some of the most influential twentieth and twenty-first century political theorists.

Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:

  • discuss questions of understanding and application knowledgeably and with a grasp of the complex relation between theory and practice.

Timetable

The timetables are available through MyTimetable.

Mode of instruction

  • Lectures (2 hours per week);

  • Tutorials (2 hours per week).

Class attendance is required for both lectures and tutorials.

Assessment method

Assessment

Two digital written examinations with closed questions (multiple choice) and short open questions.

Weighing

The final grade for the course is the weighed average of the midterm and final exam:

  • Midterm exam (50%);

  • Final exam (50%).

Resit

The resit consists of a large written digital examination covering the entire content of the course and the mark will replace all previously earned marks for subtests. No separate resits will be offered for subtests.

Inspection and feedback

How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.

Reading list

The full reading list will be posted on Brightspace prior to the start of the course.

Registration

Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.

Contact

  • For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.

  • For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Huizinga.

Remarks

Not applicable.