Graduate Program (& Advanced Certificate) Status
Elective | |
Elective | |
Elective | |
Elective | |
Elective | |
Elective |
In this course, we will consider a variety of perspectives on several inter-related issues associated with global justice. We will begin by reading about the idea of human rights – what they are, how they can be justified, and what duties do they impose on others? The second set of readings will look at issues associated with global inequality and poverty. Are severe poverty and global inequalities unjust? Should the same principles of distributive justice that apply within a country apply globally, as well? What duties, if any, do wealthy societies and individuals have to address these issues? Lastly, we will consider the application of theories of human rights and distributive justice to the issue of climate change. How should the costs of climate change – human, financial, and social – be distributed among different societies and generations?
Goals:Students will become familiar with a variety of perspectives regarding three key issues concerning global justice: human rights, poverty and inequality, and climate change.
Learning outcomes: improving analytical skills through reading, discussing, and writing about complex normative theories.
Assessment: At the end of each of the three units, students will be assigned essay questions. I expect there will be three questions for each unit, and students should expect to write approximately two single-spaced pages for each question. Each set of essays will be worth 25% of the final grade. In addition, there will be approximately six in-class quizzes. Each will cover the reading assignment for that day, as well as material previously discussed. After each quiz, we will discuss the questions. The quiz grades will be averaged, and together this will account for the remaining 25% of the final grade.