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. Practical cases will focus on ethical problems pertaining to the environmental crisis, social policies, the funding of education, global justice, migratory flows. We will insist on the way each ethical theory would argue in favour of a specific position.

Teaching methods

Courses will be taught with lectures. Students will be invited to prepare each lecture either by reading a paper, watching a video or answering a quizz. The course will highlight the way on the way theories of justice can be applied to public policies and individuals' and organisations' practices. Students will be assigned exercises consisting in the application of a specific theory to a concrete case/dilemma.

Evaluation methods

For the first session (June), evaluation is based on: (i) written assignments during the term; (ii) a final exam (multiple choices quizz)
For the second session (August-September), evaluation will only include a final exam, which will include both a multiple choice quizz and a reflection question.

Online resources

www.enseignerlethique.be

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