Aims

The course will provide students with a brief, critical overview of the main contemporary approaches to economic and social ethics. To this end, and particularly by operating analytical tools that will be supplied, the course will seek to help students situate themselves in a critical and informed way in relation to ethical issues that arise in the broad field covered by economic, social and political sciences.

Main themes

Economic and social debate constantly - and inevitably - straddles empirical observations, theoretical statements and value judgements. The course will attempt to teach students how to throw light on this debate by distinguishing between the various categories of question via explanations of the criteria in each category that divide competing positions, and by examining how the value judgements that underpin the debate can themselves be the subject of rigorous discussion.

Content and teaching methods

Content
1) The first part of the course introduces and situates the conceptions of a good society (and economy) that may be found in utilitarist, libertarian, analytical-Marxist, and liberal-egalitarian approaches. It also more succinctly situates 'critical theory', 'communitariansm', 'post-modernism' and the Church's social teaching.
2) The second part of the course addresses a particular issue that changes from year to year (e.g. 'Social justice and feminism', 'Migrations', 'Linguistic justice' and 'Social justice and healthcare').
Method
1) The first half of the course is based on a sequence of lectures delivered by teachers, but nonetheless seeks to be interactive: it will examine the problems raised by the various variants in each of the approaches explored.
2) The second half is based on a sequence of discussions carefully prepared by teams of students, and aimed at mobilising approaches introduced in the first half of the course with a view to addressing concrete ethical matters that illustrate the theme selected for the year.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Ideally, a minimum understanding of economics derived, for example, from an introductory course to political economy.


Assessment will be based on a brief personal text, which will itself be produced during the extension of the group work, and an oral interview on this text.

Christian Arnsperger and Philippe Van Parijs, 'Éthique économique et sociale', Paris, La Découverte, & SYROS (REPÈRES NO 300), 2000, 128 pp).

Other credits in programs