MA in Moral, Legal, and Political Philosophy
School of Politics, International Studies, and Philosophy
Queen’s University Belfast
Pathway diagram for MA in Moral, Legal, and Political Philosophy
Programme Convenor: Dr Cillian McBride
This innovative new MA programme in Moral, Legal, and Political Philosophy offers a range of modules which explore both fundamental questions about the nature of justice, freedom, and equality, and the application of moral and legal ideas in practical contexts. Primarily, although not exclusively, aimed at students interested in normative questions, this new programme builds on the School’s strengths in applied ethics and moral philosophy. Teaching is provided primarily by the School of Politics, International Studies, and Philosophy, in collaboration with colleagues in the School of Law.
Modules:
Philosophy of Law
This module aims to introduce students to some of the fundamental normative, conceptual, and methodological issues in legal philosophy and legal theory. Team-taught by academics from the School of Law and the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, it will be suitable for those who already have a grounding in jurisprudence at undergraduate level as well as those who are coming to the subject anew.
In the first part of the module, students will focus on philosophical themes relating to core concepts in the criminal law, such as causation, legal personality, relevant and irrelevant mistakes, complicity and luck. These will be examined in light of recent debates in the jurisprudential literature as well as significant examples from case law. In the second half of the module, students will consider the meaning of ‘jurisprudence’ and be introduced, initially, to traditional legal perspectives on the question of ‘what is law’ and ‘why we obey the law’. In later weeks, we will investigate extensions and negations to the traditional theories – that is, students will examine (for instance) Marxist, feminist, postcolonial and post-structural perspectives on these same questions. A key part of the course will be to emphasise how we can ‘apply’ these ‘theories’ to law – using the areas of legal history and human rights law, for instance.
Children’s Rights and Conceptions of Childhood (PHL7039)
This module will critically explore and evaluate the distinction – of central importance to key debates in law, politics and moral theory - between children and adults. Different ways in which this distinction might be understood will be invoked. In particular the module will examine the questions of whether children have rights, if so, which ones, and how children’s interests might be protected in the absence of rights. It will use the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) as the starting point, and take decision-making within biomedicine as its principal area of discussion, employing a number of important English legal cases for detailed examination. The module will thus serve to illuminate issues of moral, legal and political status; what exactly a right is and how we might specify the conditions that qualify persons for holding rights; how to distinguish between different kinds of rights; what the difference between moral and legal rights amounts to; and how to balance considerations of liberty or autonomy against those of welfare and best interests.
Philosophy of Conflict and War(PHL7038)
This module explores the moral and ethical questions posed by serious political conflict, in particular those posed by war and other forms of violent collective struggle. It commences with a critical examination of rival theoretical understandings of ‘the political’, which frame the problem of political conflict, and of the possibilities of overcoming such conflict, in very different ways. A key focus here is the work of modern political realists and the critics of political realism. The module then moves to explore the specific moral-ethical problems associated with war, with an emphasis on the Just War tradition as it is developed in the work of contemporary political philosophers. Among the issues addressed here are the concepts of violence and of war, the Just War understanding of jus ad bellum and jus in bello, the challenge of pacifism to Just War thinking, the problem of dirty hands, the morality of military intervention, and the normative justifications and criticisms of contemporary state and non-state terrorism.
Ethics, Norms, and Institutions (PHL7041)
This module is devoted to exploring the philosophical and practical issues posed by the relations between roles, norms, recognition, and their institutional contexts. It will address philosophical debates about the nature of conventions and normativity, relations of mutual recognition, social roles – both formal and informal – the nature of social institutions, and questions of individual and collective agency. It will address a range of practical ethical issues, relating to accountability, agency, personal identity, integrity, trust, and regulation. The module will draw on both philosophical and empirical material from law and regulation, political science, industrial relations, and sociology, as appropriate.
Metaethics (PHL7042)
This module explores basic questions about the status and nature of moral claims and how we should understand ‘morality’ and ‘ethics’ as phenomena of human life. Over the course of the seminars, students engage in in-depth analysis of topics in metaethics, including both the nature of ethical properties, states of affairs, and facts, as well as the nature of ethical concepts, contents, attitudes, and judgements. Topics may include (but are not limited to) realism, ethical naturalism, the alleged ‘gap’ between the ethical and the non-ethical, the epistemology of ethics, the relationship between ethics and metaethics, motivational and reasons internalism, error theories, non-cognitive and expressivist theories, the Frege-Geach problem, and practical reasoning.
Philosophical Research Methods (PHL7043)
This module aims to enable students to successfully pursue graduate study, and to prepare them for writing dissertations and, subsequently, doctoral-level research. It is intended to provide training in general research skills, although in a way that stays firmly in touch with issues confronting them as professional philosophers and theorists. Each week a different member of staff will discuss a particular topic of this nature. Topics include: working with your supervisor; developing a writing style; presenting your work at conferences; publishing; applying for funding; the psychology and sociology of research.
Dissertation (PAI9099)
15,000 word dissertation on a topic to be agreed with your supervisor.
Teaching and Assessment
Modules are taught in weekly seminars and assessment is by coursework and a dissertation.
Entrance Requirements
Normally a 2.1 Honours degree or above or equivalent recognised qualification in PPE, Law, Politics, Philosophy, Sociology or a cognate subject area.
It is also possible to study for a PG Diploma in Moral, Legal, and Political Philosophy. The PG Diploma is awarded on the basis of successful completion of the coursework elements of the MA programme. On successful completion of the coursework, students enrolled on the PG Diploma students may apply to enrol on the MA and undertake the MA dissertation.
Funding
Normally these degrees are self-funded. In the event that School bursaries are available, these will normally be advertised on the School website.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/Research/PostgraduateCentre/PostgraduateAwards
Opportunities for Careers
All of the MA programmes offered in the School provide an appropriate basis for those who wish to proceed to doctoral study. In addition, our graduates go on to a wide range of careers in both the private and public sectors.
For further information please contact Dr Cillian McBride:
School of Politics, International Studies, and Philosophy
Tel.: +44 (0)28 9097 3008 c.mcbride@qub.ac.uk
Queen’s University Belfast
Programme Convenor: Dr Cillian McBride
This innovative new MA programme in Moral, Legal, and Political Philosophy offers a range of modules which explore both fundamental questions about the nature of justice, freedom, and equality, and the application of moral and legal ideas in practical contexts. Primarily, although not exclusively, aimed at students interested in normative questions, this new programme builds on the School’s strengths in applied ethics and moral philosophy. Teaching is provided primarily by the School of Politics, International Studies, and Philosophy, in collaboration with colleagues in the School of Law.
Modules:
Philosophy of Law
This module aims to introduce students to some of the fundamental normative, conceptual, and methodological issues in legal philosophy and legal theory. Team-taught by academics from the School of Law and the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, it will be suitable for those who already have a grounding in jurisprudence at undergraduate level as well as those who are coming to the subject anew.
In the first part of the module, students will focus on philosophical themes relating to core concepts in the criminal law, such as causation, legal personality, relevant and irrelevant mistakes, complicity and luck. These will be examined in light of recent debates in the jurisprudential literature as well as significant examples from case law. In the second half of the module, students will consider the meaning of ‘jurisprudence’ and be introduced, initially, to traditional legal perspectives on the question of ‘what is law’ and ‘why we obey the law’. In later weeks, we will investigate extensions and negations to the traditional theories – that is, students will examine (for instance) Marxist, feminist, postcolonial and post-structural perspectives on these same questions. A key part of the course will be to emphasise how we can ‘apply’ these ‘theories’ to law – using the areas of legal history and human rights law, for instance.
Children’s Rights and Conceptions of Childhood (PHL7039)
This module will critically explore and evaluate the distinction – of central importance to key debates in law, politics and moral theory - between children and adults. Different ways in which this distinction might be understood will be invoked. In particular the module will examine the questions of whether children have rights, if so, which ones, and how children’s interests might be protected in the absence of rights. It will use the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) as the starting point, and take decision-making within biomedicine as its principal area of discussion, employing a number of important English legal cases for detailed examination. The module will thus serve to illuminate issues of moral, legal and political status; what exactly a right is and how we might specify the conditions that qualify persons for holding rights; how to distinguish between different kinds of rights; what the difference between moral and legal rights amounts to; and how to balance considerations of liberty or autonomy against those of welfare and best interests.
Philosophy of Conflict and War(PHL7038)
This module explores the moral and ethical questions posed by serious political conflict, in particular those posed by war and other forms of violent collective struggle. It commences with a critical examination of rival theoretical understandings of ‘the political’, which frame the problem of political conflict, and of the possibilities of overcoming such conflict, in very different ways. A key focus here is the work of modern political realists and the critics of political realism. The module then moves to explore the specific moral-ethical problems associated with war, with an emphasis on the Just War tradition as it is developed in the work of contemporary political philosophers. Among the issues addressed here are the concepts of violence and of war, the Just War understanding of jus ad bellum and jus in bello, the challenge of pacifism to Just War thinking, the problem of dirty hands, the morality of military intervention, and the normative justifications and criticisms of contemporary state and non-state terrorism.
Ethics, Norms, and Institutions (PHL7041)
This module is devoted to exploring the philosophical and practical issues posed by the relations between roles, norms, recognition, and their institutional contexts. It will address philosophical debates about the nature of conventions and normativity, relations of mutual recognition, social roles – both formal and informal – the nature of social institutions, and questions of individual and collective agency. It will address a range of practical ethical issues, relating to accountability, agency, personal identity, integrity, trust, and regulation. The module will draw on both philosophical and empirical material from law and regulation, political science, industrial relations, and sociology, as appropriate.
Metaethics (PHL7042)
This module explores basic questions about the status and nature of moral claims and how we should understand ‘morality’ and ‘ethics’ as phenomena of human life. Over the course of the seminars, students engage in in-depth analysis of topics in metaethics, including both the nature of ethical properties, states of affairs, and facts, as well as the nature of ethical concepts, contents, attitudes, and judgements. Topics may include (but are not limited to) realism, ethical naturalism, the alleged ‘gap’ between the ethical and the non-ethical, the epistemology of ethics, the relationship between ethics and metaethics, motivational and reasons internalism, error theories, non-cognitive and expressivist theories, the Frege-Geach problem, and practical reasoning.
Philosophical Research Methods (PHL7043)
This module aims to enable students to successfully pursue graduate study, and to prepare them for writing dissertations and, subsequently, doctoral-level research. It is intended to provide training in general research skills, although in a way that stays firmly in touch with issues confronting them as professional philosophers and theorists. Each week a different member of staff will discuss a particular topic of this nature. Topics include: working with your supervisor; developing a writing style; presenting your work at conferences; publishing; applying for funding; the psychology and sociology of research.
Dissertation (PAI9099)
15,000 word dissertation on a topic to be agreed with your supervisor.
Teaching and Assessment
Modules are taught in weekly seminars and assessment is by coursework and a dissertation.
Entrance Requirements
Normally a 2.1 Honours degree or above or equivalent recognised qualification in PPE, Law, Politics, Philosophy, Sociology or a cognate subject area.
It is also possible to study for a PG Diploma in Moral, Legal, and Political Philosophy. The PG Diploma is awarded on the basis of successful completion of the coursework elements of the MA programme. On successful completion of the coursework, students enrolled on the PG Diploma students may apply to enrol on the MA and undertake the MA dissertation.
Funding
Normally these degrees are self-funded. In the event that School bursaries are available, these will normally be advertised on the School website.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/home/Research/PostgraduateCentre/PostgraduateAwards
Opportunities for Careers
All of the MA programmes offered in the School provide an appropriate basis for those who wish to proceed to doctoral study. In addition, our graduates go on to a wide range of careers in both the private and public sectors.
For further information please contact Dr Cillian McBride:
School of Politics, International Studies, and Philosophy
Tel.: +44 (0)28 9097 3008 c.mcbride@qub.ac.uk
Key Links
Contact Info
School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy
25 University Square
Queen's University
Belfast
BT7 1PB
Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 5028
Email: pisp@qub.ac.uk
Follow Us On: