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POL40140

Academic Year 2024/2025

Theories of Global Justice (POL40140)

Subject:
Politics
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Politics & Int Relations
Level:
4 (Masters)
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.

This course examines a number of topics and issues in international politics from a normative perspective. We will look at current theories on justice in international relations, international distributive justice, reparative justice, migration, national self-determination, and global institutions of justice. Students will be introduced to some of the most important concepts in international political theory including sovereignty, duties of assistance, humanitarian intervention, and human rights.

The various normative problems discussed will be related to actual international conflicts past and present. Examples that might be used for illustrating the relevance and application of theories of international political theory are debates like climate justice or just war theory. For this year the focus will be on climate justice.

The module will have the structure of a seminar and will be based on classroom debates. The students will be expected to have read the relevant texts in advance and participate in discussion.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
* engage with original normative political theory scholarship on different aspects of global justice as well as climate justice
* analyse the logic of normative political theory arguments
* evaluate different conceptualisations of key moral ideals relating to theories of global justice and climate justice
* engage in critical discussions of the normatively significant aspects of justice in on the global scale
* 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

Indicative Module Content:

We will look at political responses to climate chaos from a normative perspective analysing principles that should guide our actions. Questions we will discuss are e.g. Do the industrialised states who contributed most to climate change owe compensation to the developing states who suffer most? Should green house gas emissions be distributed on a equal per capita basis? Or should they track how dependent people are on emissions for a decent life? Is the ability to help a strong enough reason to impose duties of justice? etc.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

205
Seminar (or Webinar)

20
Total

225

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module is designed to run as a seminar. There are no lectures. Rather, students are expected to prepare for the in-class discussions and exercises by the required readings and handouts.
Overall this seminar is focused on task-based learning - by discussing the different dimensions and theories of global justice, students are expected to develop their own questions as well as their own approaches for addressing them.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

Basic familiarity with the methods and approaches in normative political theory is highly recommended.
Some background knowledge regarding theories of justice is helpful.
E.g.
Fabre, C. (2007) Justice in a Changing World, Cambridge: Polity Press (320.011 FAB slc).
McKinnon, C. (ed.) (2015). Issues in Political Theory, Oxford: Oxford University Press (320.01 MCK).
Swift, A. (2013) Political Philosophy. A Beginners' Guide for Students and Politicians, Third Edition. Revised and Expanded ed, Cambridge: Polity Press (320.01 SWI).


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: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 1 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 2 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 3 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 4 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 7 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 5 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 6 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 8 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 9 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 10 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 11 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Questions probing your understanding of the argumentation and theory underlying the required readings for the week. Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
2.5
 No
Individual Project: Presentation of the moral principles underlying your term project. Week 5 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
10
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): 5000 Word essay: Your task is to offer a normative political theory argument discussing your chosen research puzzle. Week 14 Graded No
60
 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
• 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.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Iseult Honohan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

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, 32, 33 Thurs 16:00 - 17:50
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