Political Philosophy

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

Standard

An average of 10 hours each week.

None.

None.

Students enrolling in this subject must have completed a Bachelor of Arts degree or equivalent.

None.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject examines advanced topics in distributive justice. These include contemporary attempts to develop an adequate understanding of the relation between justice and bad luck, as well as recent debate about what it means for a theory of justice to be egalitarian. It is likely that the class will also incorporate a focus on some recent developments in social contract theory.

Students who successfully complete this subject will

• acquire an understanding of the characteristic methods and techniques of contemporary analytic political philosophy;
• be familiar with the current debate in selected areas of contemporary analytic political philosophy;
• have demonstrated an ability to think and write at a level commensurate with the debates studied.

A 5000-word research essay 100% (due at the end of semester).

Hurdle Requirement: Students are required to attend a minimum of 75% of classes in order to pass this subject. Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 2% per working day. After 5 working days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

A subject reader will be available.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully complete this subject will develop

• develop an understanding of the theoretical bases of influential political ideologies;
• have refined the skills necessary for original research by developing the capacity to think rigorously, imaginatively and critically about abstract topics;
• acquire the ability to comprehend and evaluate complex argumentative texts.