POL142 Twentieth Century Political Philosophy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2020
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. Jan Čambora (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Pavel Dufek, 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 20. 2. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 27. 2. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 5. 3. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 12. 3. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 19. 3. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 26. 3. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 2. 4. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 9. 4. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 23. 4. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 30. 4. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 7. 5. 12:00–13:40 exP21, Thu 14. 5. 12:00–13:40 exP21
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
POL142/01: Wed 18. 3. 16:00–17:40 U53, Wed 22. 4. 16:00–17:40 U53, Wed 13. 5. 16:00–17:40 U53
POL142/02: Thu 19. 3. 14:00–15:40 U53, Thu 23. 4. 14:00–15:40 U53, Thu 14. 5. 14:00–15:40 U53
POL142/03: Thu 19. 3. 18:00–19:40 U41, Thu 23. 4. 18:00–19:40 U41, Thu 14. 5. 18:00–19:40 U41
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
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.
Learning outcomes
Upon completing 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
understand the most significant issues and debates pertaining to contemporary normative theoretical reflection of society
be able to explain mutual interaction between political theory and political practice
acquire the ability to critically assess and compare pivotal contributions to contemporary political philosophy and
be able to apply them to important phenomena within present-day societies
Syllabus
  • 1) Course Mission and Essential. Nature and Vocation of Political Philosophy
  • 2) Carl Schmitt's realism: the concept of the political and states of exception
  • 3) Liberalism at Peril: Isaiah Berlin. Liberty and pluralism of values
  • 4) Republican liberty as non-domination: H. Arendt, P. Pettit
  • 5) John Rawls's theory of justice: On the nature of political theory
  • 6) Natural and positive law/right: HLA Hart, Ronald Dworkin. Dworkin's egalitarianism
  • 7) Radicalism of individual rights in libertarianism
  • 8) Classical liberalism and social evolutionism: spontaneous order, social morality, normative disagreement
  • 9) Self-Study Week
  • 10) The communitarian critique of liberalism: Has liberalism failed?
  • 11) Critical Theory of the Frankfurt School: rationality, democracy, recognition
  • 12) Participative and radical democracy: redistribution, recognition, empowerment
  • 13) Deliberative democracy, constitutional patriotism, and the constitutionalisation of international law (Habermas)
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 (composite evaluation); students are expected to read approximately 600 pages of scholarly literature. There are several requirements to fulfil, in order to finish the course:
(1) Attendance at three seminars during the term. Evaluated activities include: Group presentation (0–5 points), comments on the presentation (0–3 points), position papers and activity in discussions (0–3 points), up to the maximum of 13 points (ca. 33 % 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 (ca. 67 % 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 2018, Spring 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2020/POL142