Program Overview

Political Philosophy (PHIL0028)

Key Information

• Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• Teaching department: Philosophy
• Credit value: 15
• Restrictions: N/A

Alternative Credit Options

There are no alternative credit options available for this module.

Description

This module investigates questions that are both central to political philosophy and of current political importance. For example: What does it take for a political system to be just? Can we support equality of opportunity without also supporting equality of outcome? How can we come to own natural resources? Does global inequality matter as much as national inequality? Is it wrong to contribute to climate change? What do we owe to future generations?

Module Aims

This module focuses on central debates in political philosophy, and it is designed to help you develop the skills needed to evaluate them. These skills include reconstructing arguments, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of arguments, and identifying the connections between debates that might initially seem unrelated. These skills are fundamental in all areas of philosophy, but they are also important in many other disciplines.

Sample Readings

• Elizabeth Anderson, 'What is the Point of Equality?', 109 (1999): 287–337
• G. A. Cohen, Self-Ownership, Freedom, and Equality (Cambridge University Press, 1995): Chapter 3 and Chapter 4
• Andrea Sangiovanni, 'Global Justice, Reciprocity, and the State', Philosophy & Public Affairs 35 (2007): 3–39
• Paula Casal, 'Why Sufficiency is Not Enough', 117 (2007): 296–326
• Julia Nefsky, 'Consumer Choice and Collective Impact', in Anne Barnhill, Mark Budolfson, and Tyler Doggett (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Food Ethics (Oxford University Press, 2018): 267–286

Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year

Intended Teaching Term: Term 1

• Undergraduate (FHEQ Level 5)

Teaching and Assessment

• Mode of study: In person
• Methods of assessment: 100% Coursework (2 assessments)
• Mark scheme: Numeric Marks

Other Information

• Number of students on module in previous year: 116
• Module leader: Dr Joe Horton

Last Updated

This module description was last updated on 10th March 2026.