Admission requirements
Admission to this course is restricted to students enrolled in the MA Philosophy 120 EC, specialisation Philosophy of Poltical Science.
Description
This course reflects on what we do when we do social and political philosophy, and how this relates to the social sciences. Are normative theories fact independent, or not? Do we take given institutional arrangements as given, pre-theoretical, or do we question everything? How do epistemic limitations – for example when encountering problems in assessing whether individuals are responsible for their position or not – affect theoretical and moral considerations? How does the sometimes utopian nature of engaging in political philosophy fit with some kind of impartiality, or shouldn’t political theorists be impartial but rather activist political agents?
We will start thinking about these questions by reading the recent edited volume Methods in Analytical Political Theory, which students are expected to purchase before the beginning of the course. This book will be supplemented by articles and book chapters by, among others, Valentini, Ypi, Cohen, Sangiovanni, Miller, Anderson and many others.
Course objectives
This course aims to enable students to critically consider the relation between the social sciences and political theorizing, and develop an well argued view on whether and to what extends social scientific and institutional facts determine the nature of our theories and the content of our obligations. Students will gain knowledge of state of the art literature on methodology in political philosophy.
Skills imparted will include the ability to survey relevant literature and make a selection from it via independent research, based on a clearly formulated initial research question. Students will be expected both to arrive at such a question through independent inquiry and to identify sources relevant to it. They will also learn how to distinguish between exposition of text and critical analysis not just of its substantive content but its philosophical and other methodological underpinnings.
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
the relation between social sciences and political theorizing;
the role between normative political theory and politics;
the role of political philosophy in society;
methodological debates in analytical political philosophy.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
take position and critically engage with the debate between the relation between social scientific facts and existing institutions and normative philosophical principles;
understand and criticize several methodological approaches to political philosophy;
elaborate a philosophical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses different modes of political theorizing;
expose and appraise the differences between different philosophical approaches to politics, including their strengths and weaknesses.
Timetable
See: MA Philosophy 120 EC
Mode of instruction
- Seminars
Class attendance is required.
Course Load
Total course load 10 x 28 hours= 280 hours
Attending seminars (13 x 3 hours) : 39 hours
Study of compulsory literature: 120 hours
Preparation lectures and/or seminars: 21 hours
Preparation assignment(s): 20 hours
Writing paper(s): 80 hours
Assessment method
Assessment
Midterm paper (40%)
Final paper (40%)
Presentations (20 %)
Weighing
The final grade for the course is the weighed average of these three elements, but active class participation and fulfilling attendance requirements are necessary conditions for obtaining a pass
Resit
The resit consists of the same parts as the first opportunity, partial resits are possible. Class participation and the presentation are required for taking the resit. Students who have obtained a satisfactory grade for the first examination cannot take the resit.
Exam review
Exam review on the basis of individual appointments.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for:
Literature
Communication with students
Submission of papers
Reading list
Blau, A. (2017). Methods in Analytical Political Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Selection of papers and articles, made available on Blackboard.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available on the website
Students are strongly advised to register in uSis through the activity number which can be found in the timetables for courses and exams.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable.
Contact
Remarks
Not applicable.