POLIS 2106 - Justice, Virtue and the Good
North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2023
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code POLIS 2106 Course Justice, Virtue and the Good Coordinating Unit Politics and International Relations Term Semester 1 Level Undergraduate Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 3 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y Prerequisites At least 12 units of Level I undergraduate study Incompatible POLI 2009, POLI 2106, POLI 3009 Assessment 3000 word essay (60%), 1500 word minor essay (30%), tutorial participation (10%) Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Professor Lisa Hill
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate: 1 An ability to understand key ideas in Western political thought 2 An ability to think critically about debates in contemporary political theory. 3 Enhanced skills in research, synthesis, organisation and presentation of information 4 Enhanced problem solving skills 5 Familiarisation with the research skills necessary for working with primary sources 6 An ability to work independently 7 An ability to articulate interpretations of sources and topics in class discussion 8 An ability to critically evaluate arguments University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth
Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.
1, 2, 8 Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving
Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.
2,3,4,5,6,7,8 Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills
Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.
4,8 Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness
Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.
1,2,3,4, 5,6,8 Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency
Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.
1,2,5,7,8 Attribute 7: Digital capabilities
Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.
1,2,3,4,5 Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.
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Learning Resources
Required Resources
A reading kit will be prepared and available for sale in the first week of term.
Online Learning
Course material and lecture slides will be posted on myuni
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Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
There will be two lectures per week and one tutorial during which issues covered in
lectures will be linked to tutorial discussions.
Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
Students will need to devote approximately 8 hours per week to this course (divided over 12 weeks of study). This consists of 2 x 1-hour lectures and one tutorial per week, and 5 hours per week of independent study, during which time students will prepare for tutorials and work on assignments.Learning Activities Summary
The following lecture topics are indicative only and subject to change. Course material is constantly being updated and revised to incorporate the latest scholarship and topics of debate.- Introduction to Course
Plato and Aristotle - Epicureanism and Stoicism
- The Cosmopolitan Tradition
The Christian Tradition - Machiavelli and Hobbes
The Enlightenment - Adam Smith
Mary Wollstonecraft - John Stuart Mill
Friedrich Nietzsche - Karl Marx
The Liberal Tradition - The Multiculturalism Debate:Will Kymlicka and Susan Moller Okin
- Free Speech in an Age of Terror
Rights in an Age of Terror - The Pornography Debate
- The Abortion Debate
- The Issue of Global Obligations; Course Summary
- Introduction to Course
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Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Tutorial Participation: 10% of overall grade
Minor Essay: 30%
Major Essay: 60%Assessment Detail
ASSESSMENT – WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO PASS THIS COURSE
To pass this course, you must:attend at least 75% of tutorials and participate in an informed and thoughtful manner in class discussions;complete tutorial notes;complete minor exercise;complete and pass a major essay.
Tutorial participation – 10%
Students are required to attend and participate in tutorials. This entails attending and contributing meaningfully to the discussion.Each student will be required to lead the discussion at one tutorial. This will count towards the tutorial participation grade. In general, students who attend 75% of tutorials and lead a tutorial can expect to get a pass grade on this element of assessment. Higher grades will depend on participation
Minor essay – 30%
Choose a short extract (minimum one paragraph, maximum 5 pages) from one of the readings in the course book. Your selected extract must be from one of the primary theorists studied i.e. Socrates, Plato, the Stoics, the Epicureans, Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith, Mary Wollstonecraft, John Stuart Mill, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, John Rawls, Will Kymlicka, Peter Singer and Susan Moller Okin.
Identify the writer's main arguments, and describe the evidence she or he uses to support the arguments. Critically assess the writer's arguments.
Check your extract with your tutor to ensure your extract is suitable. Your answer should have full referencing and a bibliography. The emphasis in this exercise is on analysing an argument, so it is important to spend time thinking about the extract.Your critical assessment of the writer's arguments can be either positive or negative.
Word limit: 1500
Major essay – 60%
Write an essay of 2,500 words on one of the topics listed in the course handout.
Submission
A hardcopy of the essay must to be submitted BEFORE 12pm (noon) on/before the due date. An identical electronic copy must also be submitted to Turnitin and the Originality Report attached to the hard copy of the essay. This protocol will ensure that a copy of your essay will not go missing.
Extensions will be given on the grounds of hardship or illness. If, as often happens, several essays are due close to each other, you should plan your schedule so that you complete one or more before the deadline. Applications for an extension should be made in writing and submitted to your tutor well before the date that the assignment is due.
Students who submit an essay late, without having gained an extension, will be liable to a penalty of 2 marks per day that the essay is overdue, including weekends, for a maximum of two weeks. Unless special arrangements have been made, essays more than two weeks late, may not be accepted, and will automatically be eligible for a pass or fail grade only.Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through .
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Student Support
- Academic Integrity for Students
- Academic Support with Maths
- Academic Support with writing and study skills
- Careers Services
- Library Services for Students
- LinkedIn Learning
- Student Life Counselling Support - Personal counselling for issues affecting study
- Students with a Disability - Alternative academic arrangements
The School of Social Sciences is committed to upholding the University's policy on Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S). All staff and students have a legal responsibility to act in the interests of themselves and others with respect to OH&S. For information on the School's contingency plan and emergency procedures, please see the OH&S section on the school website: -
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.
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