Admission requirements
Admission to this course is restricted to MA students in Philosophy 60 EC, specialisation Philosophical Perspectives on Politics and the Economy.
Description
This course will offer philosophical perspectives on the dynamics of civic initiatives and movements for defending rights, obtaining justice and fighting against political, economic or social oppression. The course starts with a short introduction to the philosophical analysis of oppression, illustrated by historical examples (dictatorial regimes, human rights violations, social and economic inequality, violent revolution). The focus will then shift to the analysis of power and resistance in a globalized world, with new power structures and challenges, new collective identities and new possibilities for action, often facilitated by new information technologies. How do these developments affect our sense of justice, legitimacy and accountability, of indignation and protest, disobedience and political action?
Course objectives
The course aims to give students an understanding of the central theoretical positions in the philosophical literature on power and resistance.
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
the philosophical analysis of power and oppression, resistance and revolution;
some of the main conceptual issues in analyzing the dynamics of power and resistance in the context of a globalized and technologically modified world.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
develop critical and argumentative skills through seminar discussion and analysis of philosophical texts;
practice, refine and further develop oral argumentation and presentation skills in political philosophy;
critically compare and synthesize the theories and concepts of the authors discussed and to apply them to contemporary conceptual debates and problems in writing.
Timetable
See: MA Philosophy 60 EC
Mode of instruction
- Seminars
Class attendance and active student participation is required.
Course Load
Total course load 10 EC x 28 hours= 280 hours
Attending lectures/seminars: 13 x 3 hrs= 39 hours
Study of compulsory literature: 125 hours
Essay proposal: 12 hours
Presentation: 16 hours
Additional readings: 28 hours
Final essay: 60 hours
Assessment method
Class presentation (20%)
Essay proposal (20%)
Final essay (60%)
Attendance is required – without sufficient attendance students will be excluded from submitting a final paper.
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determination of the weighted average of several subtests (midterm, final test). A subtest can be graded as unsatisfactory.
Resit
The resit will consist of a written final paper. No separate resits will be offered for mid-term or final tests. The mark will replace all previously earned marks for subtests. Attendance is required – without sufficient attendance students will be excluded from takeing the resit.
Students who have obtained a satisfactory grade for the first examinations cannot take the resit.
Exam review
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.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for:
posting texts and other documents (syllabus, assessment criteria, etc.);
announcements.
Reading list
To be announced.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
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.