EQUL40420

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:

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.

Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Assessment Strategy

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.