Advance Political Philosophy
- Arts
- 300 level
- 2 credit units
- 125 pages
- 12 units
This course deepens students' understanding of core topics and theories in political philosophy. It focuses on topics such as social justice, human rights, liberty and liberalism, politics and power, political obligation, and disobedience. The course investigates how we evaluate different political systems and assess their relative merits and virtues. It evaluates the justification, values, and operation of democratic forms of government, and controversies in democratic theory and practice in Africa.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 39 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor Marked Assessments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of PHL305, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
PHL305 · UNIT 2: THE CONCEPT AND THEORIES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE
According to the Divine Command theory of morality, an action is wrong if and only if it is forbidden by God and an action is right if and only if it is either permitted or required by God. Therefore, whatever God forbids is immoral, whatever God permits is morally acceptable, and whatever God requires is morally obligatory (Barcalow, 2000: 24).
What you should be able to do
- Understand core concepts in political philosophy
- Analyze different political systems
- Evaluate the justification of democratic governments
- Critically assess political theories
- Apply philosophical thinking to societal issues
What it prepares you for
- Political Analyst
- Policy Advisor
- Diplomat
- Journalist
- Civil Servant
- Government
- Non-profit Organizations
- International Relations
- Law
- Education
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 1: Social Justice and Political Philosophy
Unit 1: A Conceptual Exposition of the Notion of Justice in Political Philosophy
The abstract nature of justice and its various interpretations require critical thinking and philosophical analysis.
- Module 3: Political Obligation, Civil Disobedience and Punishment
Unit 2: What is Civil Disobedience?
Understanding the nuances of when disobedience is justified and the moral implications requires careful consideration.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 26 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Social Justice and Political Philosophy
Unit 1: A Conceptual Exposition of the Notion of Justice in Political Philosophy · 2 hours
Define justice, identify and discuss distributive, retributive, and divine theories of justice.. Analyze the relationship between justice and political philosophy..
- Week 2Module 1: Social Justice and Political Philosophy
Unit 2: The Concept and Theories of Social Justice · 2 hours
Discuss the meaning of social justice.. Differentiate between benefits and burdens in society.. Evaluate the criteria for the justification of distributions of social goods..
- Week 3Module 1: Social Justice and Political Philosophy
Unit 3: Social Justice Theories and Africa: A Critical Evaluation · 2 hours
Identify the main contention of distributive justice.. Discuss some objections levelled against distributive justice and its proponent.. Explain the idea of entitlement justice of Robert Nozick.. Examine the politics of justice in apartheid South Africa and Rwandan genocide..
- Week 4Module 2: Liberty, Liberalism and Notion of Rights
Unit 1: On the Idea of Liberty · 2 hours
Discuss the idea of liberty as a political concept.. Differentiate between negative and positive liberty..
- Week 5Module 2: Liberty, Liberalism and Notion of Rights
Unit 2: The Concept of Liberalism · 2 hours
Demonstrate commanding knowledge of liberalism.. Explain the popular strands of liberalism.. Discuss some of the problems that scholars have levelled against liberalism and liberty..
- Week 6Module 2: Liberty, Liberalism and Notion of Rights
Unit 3: Notion of Rights in Political Theory · 2 hours
Discuss the idea of rights.. Explain the main features of human rights.. Denote the context within which right applies to human as a political entity..
- Week 7Module 2: Liberty, Liberalism and Notion of Rights
Unit 4: Political Power and Political Systems · 2 hours
Discuss the meaning of politics and power.. Identify types of political system.. Explain the various types of political party systems..
- Week 8Module 3: Political Obligation, Civil Disobedience and Punishment
Unit 1: Political Obligation and the Origin of Civil Society · 2 hours
Discuss the concept of political obligation.. Explain the emergence of states from the classical social contract scholars.. Examine why humans are subject/accountable to governments/states that emerge after human creation..
- Week 9Module 3: Political Obligation, Civil Disobedience and Punishment
Unit 2: What is Civil Disobedience? · 2 hours
Discuss the meaning of civil disobedience.. Realize that civil disobedience is an important aspect of civil governance.. Relate with the grounds upon which civil disobedience can be justified..
- Week 10Module 3: Political Obligation, Civil Disobedience and Punishment
Unit 3: Punishment and Crimes in Civil Society · 2 hours
Explain the idea of crime and punishment.. Discuss the context to which an action is a crime.. Examine why punishments are important following a crime..
- Week 11Module 3: Political Obligation, Civil Disobedience and Punishment
Unit 4: Theories of Punishment and Capital Punishment · 2 hours
Discuss the various theories of punishment and what they mean.. Explain the notion of capital punishment.. Examine the idea of capital punishment from the angle of Jeremy Bentham..
- Week 12Module 4: Democracy and the Democratisation Process in Africa
Unit 1: Meaning and Ideal of Democracy · 2 hours
Discuss the meaning of democracy.. Explain the fundamental tenets and practicability of liberal democracy.. Examine the basic ideals of democracy..
- Week 13Module 4: Democracy and the Democratisation Process in Africa
Unit 2: African Development and the Challenges of Democratisation · 2 hours
Discuss an in-depth conception of the relationship between democracy and development in Africa.. Identify the challenges faced by the democratization process in Africa.. Examine the position of Francis Fukuyama concerning why democracy fails in Africa..
Preparing for the exam
- Create concept maps linking social justice theories (Units 1-3)
- Compare Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau's views on political obligation (Module 3)
- Analyze arguments for and against civil disobedience (Unit 2, Module 3)
- Review key features of different political systems (Unit 4, Module 2)
- Practice essay questions on democracy and development in Africa (Module 4)
Questions students ask about this course
What is PHL305 about?
This course deepens students' understanding of core topics and theories in political philosophy. It focuses on topics such as social justice, human rights, liberty and liberalism, politics and power, political obligation, and disobedience. The course investigates how we evaluate different political systems and assess their relative merits and virtues. It evaluates the justification, values, and operation of democratic forms of government, and controversies in democratic theory and practice in Africa.
How many units does PHL305 have?
PHL305, Advance Political Philosophy, has 12 units across 4 modules, over 125 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is PHL305?
PHL305 carries 2 credit units, at 300 level in Arts.
Is PHL305 hard?
PHL305 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical work.
How long does PHL305 take to study?
About 39 hours of study, spread across its 12 units.
How is PHL305 assessed?
PHL305 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assessments and Final Examination.
What can I do with PHL305?
Political Analyst, Policy Advisor, Diplomat, Journalist and Civil Servant.