POLb1011 Big Issues of Contemporary 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: Mgr. Lucie Pospíšilová
Supplier department: Department of Political Science – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Thu 20. 2. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 27. 2. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 5. 3. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 12. 3. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 19. 3. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 26. 3. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 2. 4. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 9. 4. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 23. 4. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 30. 4. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 7. 5. 12:00–13:40 P21, Thu 14. 5. 12:00–13:40 P21
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
POLb1011/01: Wed 18. 3. 16:00–17:40 U53, Wed 22. 4. 16:00–17:40 U53, Wed 13. 5. 16:00–17:40 U53
POLb1011/02: Thu 19. 3. 14:00–15:40 U53, Thu 23. 4. 14:00–15:40 U53, Thu 14. 5. 14:00–15:40 U53
POLb1011/03: 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)
! POL142 20th Century Pol. Philosophy && !NOW( POL142 20th Century Pol. Philosophy ) && ( POL103 History of Political Ideas || POLb1008 Traditions Political Thought )
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
The course aims to introduce students to the work of major political thinkers of the 20th and 21st century. 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
    required literature
  • Pateman, Carole. „Participation and Democratic Theory“. In: Robert Dahl, Ian Shapiro, José A. Cheibub (eds.), The Democracy Sourcebook. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, s. 40–47
  • Vávra, David. „Politické myšlení Hannah Arendtové“. Politologická revue 1/2007, s. 3–18
  • Sandel, Michael. „Procedurální republika a nezakotvené jáství.“ Filosofický časopis č. 2, 1995, s. 249–265
  • LACLAU, Ernesto and Chantal MOUFFE. Hegemonie a socialistická strategie : za radikálně demokratickou politiku. Translated by Rudolf Převrátil. První české vydání. Praha: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, nakladatelství Karolinum, 2014, 233 stran. ISBN 9788024626857. info
  • SCHMITT, Carl. Pojem politična : text z r. 1932 s předmluvou a se třemi korolárii. Translated by Otakar Vochoč. Druhé vydání. Praha: Oikoymenh, 2013, 124 stran. ISBN 9788072984916. info
  • ARENDT, Hannah. O násilí. 2. vyd. Praha: Oikoymenh, 2004, 78 s. ISBN 8072981285. info
  • HART, H. L. A. Pojem práva. Edited by Jiří Přibáň, Translated by Petr Fantys. V čes. jaz. vyd. 1. Praha: Prostor, 2004, 312 s. ISBN 8072601032. info
  • BOAZ, David. Liberalismus v teorii a politice. Praha: Liberální institut, 2002, 461 s. ISBN 80-86389-23-5. info
  • SHAPIRO, Ian and Jürgen HABERMAS. Teorie demokracie dnes. Edited by Milan Znoj. Vyd. 1. Praha: Filosofia, 2002, 95 s. ISBN 8070071567. 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
  • RAWLS, John. Teorie spravedlnosti. Translated by Karel Berka. Praha: Victoria Publishing, 1995, 361 s. ISBN 8085605899. info
  • Liberální ekonomie : kořeny euroamerické civilizace. Edited by Tomáš Ježek. 1. vyd. Praha: Prostor, 1993, 239 s. ISBN 8085190214. info
  • 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
    not specified
  • Gaus, Gerald F. „The Range of Justice (or, How to Retrieve Liberal Sectual Tolerance)“. Cato Unbound, 10. říjen 2011, dostupné na https://www.cato-unbound.org/2011/10/10/gerald-gaus/range-justice-or-how-retrieve-liberal-sectual-tolerance
  • DUFEK, Pavel, Jiří BAROŠ, Sylvie BLÁHOVÁ, Tereza KŘEPELOVÁ and Patrik TAUFAR. Liberální demokracie v době krize : perspektiva politické filosofie. Vydání první. Brno: Sociologické nakladatelství (SLON) v koedici s Masarykovou univerzitou, 2019, 308 stran. ISBN 9788021091665. URL info
  • DENEEN, Patrick J. Proč selhal liberalismus. Translated by Petruška Šustrová. Vydání první. Praha: Academia, 2019, 176 stran. ISBN 9788020030504. info
  • LACLAU, Ernesto and Chantal MOUFFE. Hegemonie a socialistická strategie : za radikálně demokratickou politiku. Translated by Rudolf Převrátil. První české vydání. Praha: Univerzita Karlova v Praze, nakladatelství Karolinum, 2014, 233 stran. ISBN 9788024626857. info
  • HABERMAS, Jürgen. K ustavení Evropy. Translated by Alena Bakešová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Filosofia, 2013, 270 s. ISBN 9788070073919. info
  • ZNOJ, Milan and Jan BÍBA. Machiavelli mezi republikanismem a demokracií. Vyd. 1. Praha: Filosofia, 2011, 453 s. ISBN 9788070073605. info
  • HONNETH, Axel. Patologie rozumu : dějiny a současnost kritické teorie. Translated by Alena Bakešová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Filosofia, 2011, 292 s. ISBN 9788070073520. info
  • MOUFFE, Chantal. The return of the political. London: Verso, 2005, vii, 156. ISBN 1844670570. info
  • MARCUSE, Herbert. Jednorozměrný člověk : studie o ideologii rozvinuté industriální společnosti. Translated by Miroslav Rýdl. Vyd. 1. Praha: Naše vojsko, 1991, 190 s. ISBN 8020600752. 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
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2020, recent)
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