POL142 Twentieth Century Political Philosophy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2018
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Jiří Baroš, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Pavel Dufek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Bc. Tereza Křepelová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Miroslav Návrat (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Stanislav Balík, Ph.D.
Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. Pavel Dufek, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Thu 11:30–13:00 P51 Posluchárna V. Čermáka
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
POL142/01: Tue 20. 3. 8:00–9:30 U42, Tue 3. 4. 8:00–9:30 U42, Tue 24. 4. 8:00–9:30 U42, Tue 15. 5. 8:00–9:30 U42
POL142/02: Tue 20. 3. 18:45–20:15 U35, Tue 3. 4. 18:45–20:15 U35, Tue 24. 4. 18:45–20:15 U35, Tue 15. 5. 18:45–20:15 U35
POL142/03: Thu 22. 3. 8:00–9:30 U41, Thu 5. 4. 8:00–9:30 U41, Thu 26. 4. 8:00–9:30 U41, Thu 17. 5. 8:00–9:30 U41
POL142/04: Thu 22. 3. 15:15–16:45 U35, Thu 5. 4. 15:15–16:45 U35, Thu 26. 4. 15:15–16:45 U35, Thu 17. 5. 15:15–16:45 U35
Prerequisites (in Czech)
POL103 History of Political Ideas || POL180 Political Philosophy
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 20 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
At the end of the course students will have acquired knowledge of the most important political philosophers of the 20th and 21st Centuries, as well as key problems that structure recent debates in the discipline. Course participants will understand the most significant issues and debates pertaining to contemporary normative theoretical reflection of society. Also, they will be able to explain mutual interaction between political theory and political practice. They will thus acquire the ability to critically assess and compare pivotal contributions to contemporary political philosophy and apply them to important phenomena within present-day societies.
Syllabus
  • 1) Course Mission and Essential. Nature and Vocation of Political Philosophy
  • 2) Modernity and Republicanism: Hannah Arendt
  • 3) Critique of Liberalism and the Concept of the Political: Carl Schmitt
  • 4) Critique of Modern Rationalism: Michael Oakeshott, JEric Voegelin, J.F. Lyotard
  • 5) Critical Enlightenment and the 20th Century Emancipation Project: The Frankfurt School and Jürgen Habermas
  • 6) Liberalism in Peril: Friedrich August Hayek and Isaiah Berlin
  • 7) A Theory of Justice: John Rawls
  • 8) Libertarianism: Robert Nozick
  • 9) Self-Study Week
  • 10) Egalitarianism. Natural and Positive Law/Right: Ronald Dworkin, HLA Hart
  • 11) The Communitarian Critique of Liberalism: Michael Sandel, Charles Taylor, Michael Walzer, Alasdair MacIntyre
  • 12) Radical Democracy and Politics of Difference: Carole Pateman, Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, Iris M. Young, Nancy Fraser
  • 13) The Cosmopolitan Turn: Democracy and Justice on the Transnational Level?
Literature
  • Politická filosofie 20. století. Edited by Karl Ballestrem - Hennig Ottmann, Translated by Alena Bakešová. 1. vyd. Praha: ISE, 1993, 302 s. ISBN 80-85241-52-8. info
  • Současná politická filosofie :sborník textů anglosaských autorů 20. století. Edited by János Kis, Translated by Pavel Barša. Vyd. 1. Praha: Oikoymenh, 1997, 501 s. ISBN 80-86005-60-7. info
  • BLACKWELL, Basil. Blackwellova encyklopedie politického myšlení. Edited by Janet Colemanová - William E. Connolly - Alan Ryan - David Miller, Tr. Brno: Jota, 1995, xiii, 580. ISBN 80-85617-47-1. info
  • Teorie demokracie dnes. Edited by Ian Shapiro - Jürgen Habermas - Milan Znoj. 1. vyd. Praha: FILOSOFIA, 2002, 95 s. ISBN 80-7007-156-7. info
  • Velké postavy politické filosofie. Edited by Jaromír Žegklitz, Translated by Roman Civín. Praha: Občanský institut, 1996, 223 s. ISBN 80-901659-5-8. info
Teaching methods
There are two pedagogical methods of the course:
The first are lectures on each topic, which put the required readings into intellectual-historical context, and also focus on several selected problems and issues. Students are required to read the assigned readings before each lecture, so that they are ready to answer the teacher's in-class questions adequately.
The second method are seminar classes in smaller groups (ca. 15–20 students). Each seminar consists in (1) clarification of issues related to compulsory readings; and (2) student presentation of a selected text and subsequent in-class discussion
Assessment methods
The course is evaluated throughout the term; students are expected to read approximately 650 pages of scholarly literature. There are several requirements to fulfil, in order to finish the course:
(1) Attendance at four seminars during the term. Evaluated activities include: Group presentation (0–4 points), activity in discussions (0–6 points), minitest (0–5 points), up to the maximum of 15 points (37,5 % of the final grade)
(3) Final written test in the exam period, 0-25 points awarded (five questions for 5 points each). The test comprises both lectures and assigned readings. (62,5 % of the final grade)
The overall assessment (A through F) represents the total point score from these three parts.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 1999, Autumn 2000, Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2018, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2018/POL142