PHIL 407 A: International Justice

Summer 2025 A-term
Meeting:
MTWThF 2:20pm - 4:30pm / SAV 130
SLN:
12957
Section Type:
Lecture
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

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This course is designed to cover some of the main issues, authors, and topics in the contemporary philosophical literature on international justice. In particular this course will look at issues of global poverty, national self-determination and colonialism. The second half of this course will them focus exclusively on the issue of immigration justice. Links to all the readings for the course can be found on Canvas and in the Reading Schedule section of this syllabus below.

Meeting Times

This class is scheduled to meet Monday-Friday 2:20-4:30pm, in Savery Hall 130

Office Hours

Office hours will be held Mondays and Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30pm, in Savery Hall 385

Assignment Guidelines

Short Writing Assignments (100% of course grade)

There will be FOUR short writing assignments (about 500-750 words in length).

Reading Schedule

June 23rd: Introduction to class

June 24th:  Peter Singer: “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” (1972)

June 25th: Charles Beitz: “Justice and International Relations” (1975)

June 26th: Reading Day

June 27th: Brian Barry: "Humanity and Justice in Global Perspective" (1982)

June 30th: Robert Goodin: "What Is So Special about Our Fellow Countrymen?" (1988)

July 1st: David Miller: "The Ethical Significance of Nationality" (1988)

July 2nd: Kok-Chor Tan: "Cosmopolitan Impartiality and Patriotic Partiality" (2020)

July 3rd: Reading Day

July 4th: Holiday (no class)

Second Half: The Ethics of Migration by Adam Hosein

July 7th: Adam Hosein: "Introduction"

July 8th: Adam Hosein: "Arguments for Opening Borders" (Chapter 1)

July 9: Adam Hosein: "Arguments for Border Controls" (Chapter 2)

July 10th: Reading Day

July 11th: Adam Hosein: "Enforcement" (Chapter 3)

July 14th: Adam Hosein: "Selection for Admission" (Chapter 4)

July 15th: Adam Hosein: "Refugees" (Chapter 5)

July 16th: No Class

July 17th: No Class

July 18th: No Class

July 21st: Adam Hosein: "General Theories of Immigrant Rights" (Chapter 6)

July 22nd: Adam Hosein: "Temporary Workers" (Chapter 7)

July 23rd: Adam Hosein: "Undocumented Migrants" (Chapter 8)

Catalog Description:
Examines issues through investigation of the moral foundations of international politics. Issues include: What moral duties constrain the relationships between states? Is international poverty a matter of moral concern? Are we justified in preferring the interest of our fellow nations? Prerequisite: one course in philosophy.
GE Requirements Met:
Writing (W)
Credits:
5.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
June 23, 2025 - 4:06 pm