Explore UCD

UCD Home >

POL36170

Academic Year 2024/2025

Respecting Diversity (POL36170)

Subject:
Politics
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Politics & Int Relations
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Alexa Zellentin
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

There is a widely and strongly held commitment to treat people with equal respect and concern. However, people disagree about what respect and concern requires and thus what it means to show them in equal measure. The course provides an overview of normative approaches to diversity in political theory, with particular focus on the debates in analytic philosophy. We discuss the reasoning underlying as well as important critiques of liberal impartiality, liberal multiculturalism, relevant streams of discourse theory and deliberative democracy as well as more radical critiques such as e.g. agonism.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
* engage with original normative political theory scholarship on difference, diversity, recognition, and multiculturalism
* analyse the logic of normative political theory arguments
* evaluate different conceptualisations of key moral ideals relating to respect for diversity
* engage in critical discussions of the normatively significant aspects of pluralistic societies
* present your own normative political theory arguments in engagement with the current literature
Over the course of the module, you will also develop transferable skills including critical argument analysis, respectful debate, and communicating complex ideas clearly.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

176

Lectures

12

Seminar (or Webinar)

12

Total

200


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Teaching and learning activities will require students to engage with current academic research and link theories of justice to specific moral questions and judgements.
Though classroom discussions, activities, and essay writing students will examine how scholarly research on theories of respecting diversity deepens our understanding of real-world social and political practices.
Participants will be expected to prepare thoroughly for each of the classes, particularly engaging closely with the required readings, and allocate a substantial amount of time to the completion of assessment work outside the classroom hours.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 1 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 2 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 3 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 4 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 5 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 6 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 7 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 8 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 9 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 10 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 11 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Multiple choice quiz on required readings for the week to come. Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Preparatory exercise for term project. Week 3 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
5
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Preparatory exercise for term project. Week 6 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
5
No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Preparatory exercise for term project. Week 9 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
5
No
Assignment(Including Essay): 3000 word normative political theory essay Week 14 Graded No
61
No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Group/class Feedback, pre-assessment in terms of detailed rubric Feedback individually to students, post-assessment, with reference to rubric Group/class feedback, post-assessment In line with university policy students will be provided with feedback within 20 days of the deadline for submitting the assignment.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 33 Fri 10:00 - 10:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Wed 10:00 - 10:50