Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LH Social Justice
School	Phil, Theology and Religion
Department	Philosophy
Module Code	09 30837
Module Lead	Merten Reglitz
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-20 hours Seminar-8 hours Guided independent study-172 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module will explore different aspects of one of the most important debates in the contemporary political philosophy. It begins from John Rawls’s seminal account of social justice, which understands justice as fairness. After this, students will read some of the most relevant direct critiques of Rawls’s theory. In the final part, the module will cover a number of debates on particular issues that evolved from philosopher’s engagement with Rawls’s work. Topics covered here may include issues such as unconditional basic income, luck, egalitarianism, justice and the family, inheritance, desert and merit, minority rights, intergenerational justice, race, disability and structural injustices.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: demonstrate clear understanding of the essential ideas of Rawls’s Theory of Justice and the most essential critiques of this seminal work; articulate and evaluate relevant philosophical arguments about social justice; demonstrate an in depth understanding of the relation between facts and values in moral controversies; demonstrate the ability to think critically about the subject; demonstrate the ability to communicate ideas clearly and effectively.
Assessment	30837-01 : Canvas Online Quiz : Coursework (50%) 30837-02 : 2000 word Essay : Coursework (50%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: 1 online Canvas test. This will include both multiple choice questions and short answer questions (1000 words in total) (50% of the module mark) 1 x 2000 word essay (50% of the module mark) Reassessment: The method of reassessment is the same as the one for the first attempt. If a student fails the module as a consequence of failing one component and passing the other, the student re-sits the failed component only.
Other
Reading List