SYLLABUS

Philosophy of Cosmopolitanism - JPM929

Institute of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague

Instructor: Dr Janusz Salamon

ETCS: 6 credits
Prerequisites: None

PLACE: https://nyu.zoom.us/j/94414726982

TIME: Wednesday, 11:00-12:20

CONTACTS:

Office hours: Wednesday, 9.30-11.00 - https://nyu.zoom.us/j/94414726982
Email: janusz.salamon at univ-oxford.com

AIM OF THE COURSE

The aim of this course is to introduce students to various aspects of the political philosophy of cosmopolitanism, as well as to various uses and applications of the concept in the contemporary political theory and practice. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach to the subject matter, we will explore philosophical, ethical, cultural, political and legal issues relevant to the ongoing debate about the feasibility of the cosmopolitican approaches to international relations.

COURSE CONTENTS:

Class 1. Introduction: Why Cosmopolitanism has a future?

Class 2. Cosmpolitanism Ancient, Modern and Postmodern: from Zeno to Habermas

Class 3. Justice as respect for right (Stoics, Locke and Kant)

Class 4. Justice as utility (Utilitarians)

Class 5. Justice as fairness (John Rawls)

Class 6. Justice as entitlement (Robert Nozick)

Class 7. The Theory of complex equality and the 'spheres of justice' (Michael Walzer)

Class 8. Communitarians on domestic and global justice (Alistair MacIntyre & Michael Sandel)

Class 9. Capabilities and Global Justice (Martha Nussbaum)

Class 10. John Rawls and his 'Law of Peoples'

Class 11. Globalizing Rawls or Global Distributive Justice (Thomas Pogge)

Class 12. Utilitarianism on Global Justice (Peter Singer)

Class 13. Is there some theory of justice behind the "America (or any other country) First"?

Class 14. Sources of Global Solidarity

COURSE READINGS.

All readings will be available in electronic format available for download from the course website (in the SIS).

Principal readings will be drawn from the following books:

Robert C. Solomon, Mark C. Murphy (eds), What Is Justice? Classic and Contemporary Readings. 2^nd Edition, OUP, 2000.

Alan Ryan (ed.), Justice, Oxford Readings in Politics and Government, OUP, 1993.

John Rawls, A Theory of Justice

Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State, and Utopia

Michael Walzer, Spheres of Justice

Peter Dews (ed.), Habermas: A Critical Reader

Amartya Sen, The Idea of Justice

Michael Sandel, Justice: What is the Right Thing to Do

Martha Nussbaum, Frontiers of Justice

T. Pogge, K. Horton (eds), Global Ethics: Seminal Essays, Paragon, 2008

T. Pogge, D. Moellendorf (eds), Global Justice: Seminal Essays, Paragon House, 2008

M.R. Amstutz, International Ethics: Concepts, Theories, and Cases in Global Politics, Rowman and Littlefield, 2008

P. Hayden (ed.),Ethics and International Relations, Ashgate, 2009

R. Shapcott, International Ethics. A Critical Introduction, Polity, 2010

G. Graham, Ethics and International Relations, Blackwell,1997

T. Brooks (ed.), The Global Justice Reader, Blackwell, 2008

N. Dower, World Ethics, Edinburgh University Press, 1998

P. Singer, One World: The Ethics of Globalization, Yale University Press, 2002

K. Hutchings, Global Ethics: An Introduction, Polity, 2010.

COURSE GRADING:

Final essay (ca. 2500 words) 50%

Final Exam 50%

Total 100%

FINAL EXAM & FINAL ESSAY

Since due to COVID we are not able to hold an in-class written examination which in case of philosophy courses is greatly preferable to online tests, we must settle for an oral form of exam conducted online. Since this course is attended by dozens of students, we will have to spread the examination throughout the entire exam period, from late May to the end of July and then early September (if any students will request for an exam in September). Thus the actual exam date for each student will be up to you to choose and communicate it to me via email.

The deadline for submission of your FINAL ESSAY is 'at least 48 hours before YOUR final exam', so given that the date of your final essay is for you to determine, also the deadline for submission of your essay is up to you to choose.

The essay, ca. 2500 words in length, will be devoted to a topic chosen by you from a list of three topics provided by the lecturer. A more detail ESSAY INSTRUCTION will be provided in due course (once you will accumulate a sufficient amount of knowledge to be able to start working on your essay effectively.)

GRADING SCALE:

A = 91-100 % – excellent
B = 81-90 % – very good
C = 71-80 % – good
D = 61-70 % – satisfactory
E = 51-60 % – minimal pass
F = 0-50 % – fail