Handbook

Justice is considered by many people to be the first virtue of social and political life. But what is justice? And how is it realised in political practice? The course examines some of the leading theories of justice in contemporary political thought and their implications for designing political institutions and public policies. Questions include: What is a fair distribution of society’s resources? Should parents be entitled to pass on their wealth to their children? Should our public policies treat every citizen the same or rather take into account gender and cultural differences? What sense can be made of ‘intergenerational justice’? Can there be justice in war? What might global justice look like? In pursuing these questions, you will explore topics such as rights, distributive justice, gender equality and multiculturalism, historical injustice and reconciliation, and ethics in extreme circumstances. The course introduces you to some of the key issues in contemporary political theory.