Introduction to Contemporary Political Philosophy

Knowledge:

After completing the course, the student should have

• a general overview of key concepts, theories and controversies in political theory
• a general understanding of similarities and differences between different theoretical approaches, argumentation ways and ways of presentation

Skills:

After completing the course, the student should be able to

• recognize and critically evaluate theoretical main positions, argumentation ways and ways of presentation in philosophical literature and in public policy discussions
• convey feature of these main positions and reasoning methods in academic as well as in public contexts
• reflect on the relevance of different directions in contemporary political theory for understanding the current social, cultural and institutional change processes

Competence:

After completing the course, the student should be competent to

• independently identify and evaluate the key literature in contemporary political theory
• to impart knowledge about this literature and the perspectives it provides on current issues both to a professional and a general public
• to assess the relevance of central concepts and theories in the analysis of and reflection on key political controversy
• identify and critically evaluate argumentation ways and ways of presentation in both professional and general texts on social, cultural and institutional change processes

The course can be part of a bachelor's degree with a specialization in philosophy. In combination with other topics and subjects may be included in an education that qualifies for teaching philosophy in high school or college. The course may also be suitable to support specialization in fundamental questions in connection with the study of other subjects.