Year 2011-12
Theories of Democracy and Justice (21712)
Qualification: Degree in Political Science and Administration
Year: 3rd and 4th
Term: 3r
Number of ECTS credits: 4
Hours of student dedication: 100 hours
Teaching language: Catalan
Teacher: Marc Sanjaume i Calvet
1. Introduction to the course
Democracy and justice are ideas that have gone hand in hand in contemporary political thought. However, these two key political theory concepts have not been exempt from controversy and have generated passionate theoretical debates. Democratic legitimacy requires a certain definition of justice and vice versa. This course aims to study the two concepts together by look at the main schools of thought and the models of democracy and justice that they have provided.
in real life today's liberal democracies are full of tensions, dilemmas, contradictions and conflicts that have their origin in the conceptions of democracy and justice: Is inequality fair? Does equality undermine individual freedom? What is preferable, a representative democracy or a participatory democracy? Is multiculturalism compatible with feminism? And nationalism with cosmopolitanism? Does democracy take into account future generations? Are collective rights compatible with individual rights?
Bearing in mind these questions, the course will address the political ideas of contemporary thinkers such as Berlin, Rawls, Kymlicka, Miller and Okin. We will seek answers to the tensions found in democracies and above all we will acquire the tools to be able to think about the twenty-first century world in a better way.
2. Competences to be achieved
This course aims to work several general and specific skills. General Skills are:
a) Ability to analyse and synthesise. Students will be required to work on theoretical texts, present them, extract the main ideas and reflect on them.
b) Knowledge of a second language. Several readings of the course will be in English.
c) Ethical commitment.
d) Ability to learn.
In addition, the field of this course is political theory and therefore students will familiarise themselves with major theories and controversies. This will require knowing how to look for adequate readings to acquire the arguments of each theoretical perspective and be able to defend different positions. This way students will learn about contemporary political theory, its origin and its application to reality.
3. Contents
This course will explore leading theories of democracy and justice. Both concepts will be studied together rather than as discrete concepts since the understanding of democratic legitimacy often goes hand in hand with references to justice. The course will start examining Rawls liberal democracy and egalitarian liberalism and then focus on the main criticisms made by other schools of thought including criticism from other liberals, communitarians, multiculturalists, cosmopolitanists, feminists, environmentalists and nationalists. Once we have studied these theories attention will be shifted towards the normative accounts that legitimize democracies and their connection with the definition of justice.
4. Assessment
Students will be assessed through the following individual and group activities:
Continuous assessment:
a) Presentation and analysis of readings (15%)
b) Summaries and analysis of readings (15%)
c) Participation (10%)
Final assessment:
d) Final exam (30%)
e) Essay 3,000 words (30%) (with supervision throughout the term)
f) Optional: critical review of a recommended book (+10%)
5. Bibliography and other resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
Canovan, M. Nationhood and Political Theory, Oxford, 1996.
Gargarella, R. Las teorías de la justicia después de Rawls, Barcelona: Ariel, 1996.
Goodin, R.; Pettit, P. (ed.) A Companion to Contemporary Political Philosophy. An Anthology, Oxford: Blackwell, 1997.
Held, D. Modelos de Democracia, Alianza Editorial, 2007.
Kymlicka, W. Contemporary Political Philosophy. An introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986.
Maiz, R. (comp) Teorías políticas contemporáneas, Tirant lo Blanch, Valencia, 2001.
Miller, D. Political Philosophy. A Very Short Introduction, Oxford; Nova York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
Moore, M. (ed.) National Self-determination and Secession, New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Okin, S.M. Justice, Gender and the Family, Nova York: Basic Books, 1989.
Requejo, F. Las Democracias: democracia antigua, democracia liberal y estado de bienestar, Barcelona: Ariel, 2008.
Requejo, F.; Gonzalo, E. Desigualtats en democràcia. Les teories de la justícia socioeconòmica al segle XXI, Barcelona: Eumo Editorial, 2009.
Vergés, J. Les esquerdes del liberalisme polític, Barcelona: Pòrtic, 2006.
Vallespín, F (ed) Historia de la Teoría Política (8 vol), Madrid: Alianza Editorial, 1992-1996.
6. Methodology
The evaluation of the course is based on three types of activities. First, in-class activities: attendance, presentation of readings and discussion with colleagues. Secondly, it includes activities to do outside the classroom: readings, writing an essay on a given topic, and making summarising readings. Finally, it provides the opportunity for students to complete an optional or voluntary activity that involves writing a critical review of a recommended book.
7. Programme of activities
|
Week |
Ses |
Type |
Session contents |
Student work during the week |
|||||
|
Learning activity |
Hrs in class |
Hrs out of class |
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|
In class |
Outside class |
||||||||
|
Iª |
1 |
T |
Course presentation - theoretical session for all the group (introduction) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 1) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
1 |
|||||
|
IIª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 1 and Topic 2) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 2) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
1 |
|||||
|
IIIª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 3) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings Prepare seminar |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
S |
Seminar 1: subgroup 11/12 |
presentation and analysis of set reading |
1 |
|||||
|
IVª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 4) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings Prepare seminar |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
S |
Seminar 2: subgroup 11/12 |
presentation and analysis of set reading |
1 |
|||||
|
Vª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 5) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings Prepare seminar |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
S |
Seminar 3: subgroup 11/12 |
presentation and analysis of set reading |
1 |
|||||
|
VIª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 6) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings Prepare seminar |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
S |
Seminar 4: subgroup 11/12 |
presentation and analysis of set reading |
1 |
|||||
|
VIIª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 7) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings Prepare seminar |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
S |
Seminar 5: subgroup 11/12 |
presentation and analysis of set reading |
1 |
|||||
|
VIIIª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 8) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings Prepare seminar |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
S |
Seminar 6: subgroup 11/12 |
presentation and analysis of set reading |
1 |
|||||
|
IXª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Topic 9) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings Prepare seminar |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
S |
Seminar 7: subgroup 11/12 |
presentation and analysis of set reading |
1 |
|||||
|
Xª |
1 |
T |
theoretical session for all the group (Conceptual summary) |
Program explanation by the teacher |
Subject readings Prepare seminar |
2 |
5 |
||
|
2 |
S |
Seminar 8: subgroup 11/12 |
presentation and analysis of set reading |
1 |
|||||
|
Hours dedicated: Subtotal |
30 |
50 |
|
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|
XIª XIIª |
Hours dedicated for preparing final assessment |
20 |
|
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|
TOTAL SUBJECT HOURS |
100 |
|
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Ses: session number; Type: type of session, T (theory), S (seminar)