POL2090 : Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Social Issues in Contemporary Political Philosophy
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Johannes Kniess
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Andrew Walton
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To introduce students to prominent schools of thought and representative thinkers in contemporary political philosophy.
To provide students with a thorough knowledge of a range of arguments drawn from this literature on important political issues around equality, diversity, and inclusion.
To advance the ability of students to analyse and assess complex normative arguments.
To help students improve their skills in developing sustained, logically coherent, and persuasive written arguments.
Outline Of Syllabus
This module explores questions about how the social and political world ought to operate, with a particular focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion. It considers questions such as: Ought we to restrict hate speech? Should we use affirmative action policies? Should we have a basic income? What kind of leave should be offered to parents? Should minority groups be granted exemptions from the law when it conflicts with their cultural or religious beliefs? The module examines such questions by considering prominent literature in normative political philosophy and exploring how to employ the tools of political philosophy to evaluate the merits of conflicting viewpoints with the aim of developing arguments about what a defensible account of justice requires.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | PiP Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | PiP Seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | PiP assessment surgery |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 167:00 | 167:00 | Module readings and assessment preparation |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The function of lectures is to provide students with an overview of topics, introduce them to the main thinkers studied on the module, and elaborate on these matters in response to questions.
Small group teaching provides students with the opportunity to discuss and debate the issues with their peers, to deepen their knowledge through exchange of ideas about set readings, and to further understanding by raising questions.
A scheduled week on assessment planning (including a lecture and small group teaching) and an end-of-module assessment surgery will support students deploying what they have learned in their assignments and to ask any questions about how to do so.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 90 | 1 | A | 50 | Unseen written exam |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | M | 50 | 1800 words |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Both forms of assessment are designed to encourage students to verse themselves in the relevant reading material, present lines of disagreement and debate, and consider how particular positions can be systematically defended and criticised. The essay is used to ensure students can take a specific topic and work through it in considerable depth, while the exam provides a scenario in which students have been pushed to build a knowledge of the various topics on the module that can be recalled and applied in a set timeframe.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- POL2090's Timetable