PHIL 205

Community, Society and Rights


Please note: this is archived course information from 2021 for PHIL 205.

Description

This course covers a range of topics, including in the first half of the course: the theories of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke as to the existence of a "state of nature" and the emergence of the political state, as well as the concept of sovereignty, social contracts and political amalgamations between sovereign units. There will be detailed discussion of the Treaty of Waitangi.

In the second half of the course, we focus on questions related to challenges presented by immigration, for instance: When and how should communities accommodate different cultural needs and expectations presented by citizens of immigrant origin, in efforts to promote full inclusion of all its citizens? What may citizens of immigrant origin reasonably be expected to do in order to be included in democratic political communities in which they reside? Are there any normative constraints on states’ policies concerning admission?  Are states permitted to sell citizenship to would-be immigrants?  What do we owe refugees?  Is there a fair way to allocate responsibilities for refugees among different states?

 Assessment

 Coursework + exam

Availability 2021

Semester 2

Lecturer(s)

Coordinator(s) Professor Gillian Brock

Reading/Texts

TBA

Assessment

Coursework + exam

Points

PHIL 205: 15 points

Prerequisites

30 points in Global Politics and Human Rights, Philosophy or Politics and International Relations