PHIL 205 : Community, Society and Rights

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Addresses a variety of topics in political philosophy such as: the political theories of Locke and Hobbes; the nature of rights and rights-holders; sovereignty; strategies for securing stable and just societies between people with significantly different moral, political and cultural views; and the relationship between individuals and communities. Topics will be related to contemporary political issues in New Zealand and, in particular, to the Treaty of Waitangi.

Course Overview

This course covers a range of topics, including in the first half of the course: the theories of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke as to the existence of a "state of nature" and the emergence of the political state, as well as the concept of sovereignty, social contracts and political amalgamations between sovereign units. There will be detailed discussion of the Treaty of Waitangi.

In the second half of the course, we focus on questions related to challenges presented by immigration, for instance: When and how should communities accommodate different cultural needs and expectations presented by citizens of immigrant origin, in efforts to promote full inclusion of all its citizens? What may citizens of immigrant origin reasonably be expected to do in order to be included in democratic political communities in which they reside? Are there any normative constraints on states’ policies concerning admission?  Are states permitted to sell citizenship to would-be immigrants?  What do we owe refugees?  Is there a fair way to allocate responsibilities for refugees among different states?


Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points in Global Politics and Human Rights, Philosophy or Political Studies or Politics and International Relations

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Appreciate and apply representative theories in the area of political philosophy (Capability 1.1)
  2. Analyse and evaluate philosophers' arguments concerning social contracts and other key justice issues (Capability 1.1 and 2.1)
  3. Critically engage with the primary and secondary literature in political philosophy (Capability 2.2)
  4. Be able to analyse philosophical problems concerning the relations between communities and members' rights with regard to their ethical implications and real-world challenges (Capability 3.1)
  5. Express in your own words your understanding of political philosophers' ideas (Capability 4.1)
  6. Communicate and explain how to resolve social justice issues (Capability 4.2)
  7. Understand the context and importance of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Capability 6.1)
  8. Understand multiple, including cross-cultural, perspectives (Capability 6.2)
  9. Able to engage ethically in creating inclusive communities (Capability 6.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 10% Individual Coursework
Essay 30% Individual Coursework
Final Exam 60% Individual Examination
Plussage applies.

Next offered

2021

Learning Resources

All available on the Talis reading list accessed through CANVAS

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 5 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 2 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 03/07/2020 04:16 p.m.