Economic, Political and Social Ethics

Teacher(s)

Zwarthoed Danielle;

Language

French

Main themes

Inevitably perhaps within economic and social debate, there is constant confusion between empirical comments, theoretical statements and value judgments. The course tries to teach students how to clarify this debate by distinguishing the various types of question, by clarifying the criteria which, for each type, should enable them to decide between competing positions, and examines how the value judgments which underlie the debate can themselves be the subject of a rigorous discussion.

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	This course gives students a synthetic and critical outline of the principal contemporary approaches to economic and social ethics. In this way, and through the effective use of analytical tools with which they are provided, the course aims to help students to take a critical and informed position towards the ethical issues which arise in the broad field covered by the economic, social and political sciences.

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.

Content

lectures will expound the main contemporary theories in economic, social and political ethics: utilitarianism, libertarianism, Marxism, liberal egalitarianism, the capability approach, communitarianism, feminist theories and the philosophy of Human Rights. Practical cases will focus on ethical problems pertaining to the environmental crisis, social policies, the funding of education, migratory flows. We will insist on thec way each ethical theory would argue in favour of a specific position.

Teaching methods

the first part of the course will consist of a series of lectures by the teacher, along with texts to read ahead of class. The second part aims to put in practice the knowledge acquired during the first through flipped classrooms and jigsaws. Each student is assigned to an 'expert group', and each expert group specializes in one specific theory. Expert groups are assigned readings to go deeper into their 'area of expertise'. Then, each expert group shares its expertise with other groups. Afterwards, students will work on assignments involving the application of ethical theories to practical cases. These assignments will be evaluated by their peers.

Evaluation methods

evaluation is based on (i) collaborative, written, assignments during the term (ii) a final exam including both a multiple choice questionnaire and a reflection question

Bibliography

Christian Arnsperger & Philippe Van Parijs, Ethique économique et sociale, Paris : La Découverte, & Syros (" Repères n°300), 2000
Will Kymlicka, Les théories de la justice : une introduction, Paris : La Découverte, 1999.
C. McKinnon, Issues in Political Theory, Oxford University Press, 2008

Faculty or entity

ESPO