Economic, Political and Social Ethics

Teacher(s)

Lambrecht Maxime; Vandamme Pierre-Etienne;

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

[Course taught in French]
The course provides students with a synthetic and critical overview of the main contemporary approaches to economic, social and political ethics (Utilitarianism, Libertarianism, Marxism, Liberal Egalitarianism, Suffisantism, Equal Opportunity, Feminism), as well as an introduction to the practice of ethical reasoning through exercises in applying theories to concrete issues (e.g. animal issues, climate change, migration, taxation and redistribution). The course thus aims to help students to situate themselves critically and informally with regard to ethical issues in the broad field of economic, social and political science.

Teaching methods

The course will borrow in part from the flipped classroom method (viewing videos and readings before the session, then deepening in person) and will focus on practical exercises and interactivity with students, through audience and online exercises, and through the use of quizz and televoting systems (Wooclap). In addition, students will practice applying the theories to practical cases.

Online resources

www.enseignerlethique.be (fr)
Chaîne Youtube Maxime Lambrecht - "Les Théories de la Justice" (fr)
Article "Justice sociale" de l'Encyclopédie Philosophique (P-E Vandamme) (fr)

Bibliography

Ch. Arnsperger & Ph. Van Parijs, Ethique économique et sociale, Paris, La Découverte, Repères, 2000
Will Kymlicka, Les théories de la justice : une introduction, Paris : La Découverte, 1999.
C. McKinnon, Issues in Political Theory, Oxford University Press, 2008

Teaching materials

• Slides du cours
• Synopsis des théories
• Vidéos d'introduction aux théories

Faculty or entity

ESPO