EQUL40420 Egalitarian Theory

Academic Year 2022/2023

One of the unique features of the Equality Studies programme is that it affords students an opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the concept of equality, and to clarify their own and others’ egalitarian perspectives. This seminar-based module provides students with an opportunity to directly discuss some key ideas in egalitarian theory and practice, thereby supplementing the critique, analysis and explanation of inequality and conceptualisation of egalitarian alternatives offered by the programme as a whole. How should we conceptualise the ideal of equality? What are the best frameworks for making sense of the different inequalities that structure our world and our lives? What are the key arguments for, against and within egalitarianism? What is the relationship between normative egalitarian theory and the empirical analysis of actually existing inequalities, and how can each endeavour strengthen the other?

In this module, students will learn how to theorize basic and complex inequalities, in particular through the application of appropriate conceptual and normative frameworks for their analysis. In addition, students will learn how to articulate arguments for equality, in traditional academic fora, as well as in the field of public scholarship. Finally, students will engage with key contemporary dilemmas within the field of egalitarian theory that have application to real world political contestations, and explore competing analyses and resolutions of these issues. These real world dilemmas and contestations include debates around: identity politics, free speech, right-wing politics, markets and morality, how to achieve change, and decolonising the curriculum.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate specialized, detailed and advanced theoretical and conceptual knowledge and understanding of some of the key concerns, developments and debates in egalitarian theory.
2. Engage with and explain current debates in egalitarian theory and practice, both in a scholarly context, and where these debates are played out in contemporary modern societies
3. Apply their knowledge and understanding of egalitarian theory to the broader, interdisciplinary context of equality studies.
4. Reflect on wider social issues involved in applying egalitarian theory to contemporary societies.
5. Communicate their work in equality studies more effectively, both orally, as a result of participating in seminar discussions, and in written format, as a result of completing their written assignments.
6. Demonstrate advanced research and writing skills, include the ability to synopsise text, review literature, apply conceptual frameworks for analysis, and produce clear and structured arguments in their own work.
7. Have the learning skills to be able to continue their studies in equality studies in a largely self-directed or autonomous manner.

Indicative Module Content:

Part 1: Foundations and Frameworks

1. Setting the context: Equality, justice and moral philosophy
2. Conceptions of Equality: Basic, liberal and radical
3. The Strengths and Limits of Liberal Egalitarianism: Rawls, equal opportunity and ideal theory
4. What about Flourishing? The capability approach, and contributive justice
5. What about ending Oppression? The 5 faces of oppression, applied to cognitive disability
6. Why Equality? Arguments for equality

Part 2: Dilemmas and Debates

7. Redistribution or Recognition? Rethinking the ‘class versus identity’ debates
8. Is Free Speech Racist? Liberalism, Racism and the Far Right
9. What about markets, morals, and freedom? Debating the anti-egalitarians
10. How do we achieve change (and what is the role of Emancipatory social science)?
11. How can we decolonise political theory? Case study: The racial contract, and the trouble with white feminism

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

22

Specified Learning Activities

114

Autonomous Student Learning

114

Total

250

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Egalitarian Theory is a seminar-based module, which involves a number of different approaches to student learning, including peer and group work through in-class discussion; reflective learning, though engagement with key texts and reflection on their personal and political relevance in discussion and written assignment A; enquiry & problem-based learning, through the application of a conceptual frameworks to understand a particular examples of inequality; engagement in debates, both through in-class discussion and written assignment B; and students presentations. The student presentations are not formally assessed, but are developed as a mode of student-led learning in class.
Academic teaching on the module involves facilitation of student learning through facilitation of seminars and critical input into and guidance of in-class discussions; and delivery of scholarly knowledge on the topic for discussion each week, through a combination of hand-outs and informal lectures. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Students must engage with a key debate within the field of egalitarian theory, and develop an informed argument supporting a particular position within that debate, as a blog or opinion piece Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

40

Assignment: Students must apply an conceptual framework to analyse a particular experience of inequality or to set out some equality objectives associated with a particular unequal context Week 8 n/a Graded No

60


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will receive individual written feedback on assignment A (application of a conceptual framework), using a detailed feedback sheet that describes their performance on a range of different categories. While this feedback is summative vis-a-vis this assignment, it is formative insofar as it will provide each student with tailored guidance on how they can improve their analytical thinking and writing skills for the subsequent assignment. Students will receive individual written feedback on assignment B (development of an argument) before the deadline for submission. This feedback is summative vis-a-vis this assignment, but is formative insofar as it guides students in the development of a coherent and well-structured argument that will be relevant to their learning and writing across the programme.