Integrated exercises of economic and social ethics

lespo2211  2021-2022  Louvain-la-Neuve

Integrated exercises of economic and social ethics
6.00 credits
0 h + 30.0 h
Q1 and Q2
Teacher(s)
Ponthiere Gregory;
Language
French
Main themes
The course will be based extensively on the brief presentation and the discussion deepened of individual and collective works of the students, as much that possible in preparation or in extension of the activities of the Chair Hoover in economic and social ethics and occasionally with the involvement of the Hoover Fellowses and the other hosts of the Chair. Several sessions will also be reserved to a setting in explicit relation of the various matters include in the program of final exam. The assessment will be based on the set of the benefits of the students.
Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 Strictly reserved to the students of the certificate in ethics economic and social and only teaching feature to this program, this course aims to provide to the students a place of synthesis where the various components of their formation will be integrated at a time and an opportunity to acquire by the practice, and with the profit of a detailed feedback, the expertise that this formation aims to instill to them.
 
Content
In this course, we study each year a different horizontal theme which puts together the various components of a degree in ethics. As such, this course is a place of synthesis and applications for the contents of other courses in economic and social ethics. This year, the theme is "division of labor and social justice", with a particular attention to the criticism of the division of labor proposed by Ivan Illich in his book La convivialité (1973). In his essay, Illich develops a multidimensional criticism of the industrial mode of production, which makes workers - and citizens in general - dominated by the tools and the machines. In that criticism, Illich argues that the division of labor that takes place within the industrial mode of production exhibits, as a major drawback, the tendency to prevent workers from being able to take part fully to the political life of the City. This course propose to take Illich's essay as a starting point to revisit, in the light of contemporary theories of justice, the ethical foundations of the division of labor in modern societies.
Teaching methods
Two parts.
In part 1, reading of La convivialité, while paying attention to the main theses defended by Illich to the presence of value judgements in Illich's arguments, and to the role of those value judgements in those arguments. During part 1, there will be introductionary lectures covering the main contemporary approaches to social justice, and providing some key elements to be able to reexamine Illich's arguments in the light of those theories.
In part 2, students write, in small groups, a reflexive and argumentative essay on one aspect of the relation between social justice and the division of labor. That essay will benefit from a feedback, and then will give rise to the second essay, which will be evaluated, both at the level of the writing of the essay, and during a defence in front of the entire class.
ALL PIECES OF INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE PRACTICAL ORGANIZATION OF THIS COURSE ARE AVAILABLE ON MOODLE (IN PARTICULAR THE MODE OF TEACHING RELATIVE TO THE PREVAILING COLOUR CODE).
Evaluation methods
Evaluation will be based on the second essay. Precise information on the size of essay and other requirements will be given during the first lecture. Evaluation criteria are (1) accuracy and rigour; (2) originality; (3) problematization and structure; (4) taking feedback on first essay into account. Those elements will be evaluated both at the level of the essay itself, and during a defence in the classroom. 
Other information
So much as no post of helper is allocated (is partially this) him, this course of exercises will fully be assured by his/her/its academic holder and the size of the audience will be limited to twenty students.
Online resources
Slides available on Moodle
Bibliography
Arnsperger, C., Van Parijs, P. (2000). Ethique économique et sociale. La Découverte, Paris.
Durkheim, E. (1893). De la division du travail social. Presses Universitaires de France, Paris.
Illich, I. (1973). La convivialité. Editions du Seuil, Paris.
Kymlicka, W. (1990). Contemporary Political Philosophy. An Introduction. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
Marx, K., Engels, F. (1846). L'idéologie allemande, version française, éditions sociales, Paris.
Mill, J.S. (1848). Principles of Political Economy, Londres.
Smith, A. (1776). Recherches sur la Nature et les Causes de la Richesse des Nations. Version française, Flammarion, Paris.
Teaching materials
  • Slides du cours (fournis par l'enseignant) disponibles à l'avance sur Moodle
Faculty or entity
ESPO


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Certificat d'université en éthique économique et sociale

Master [120] in Ethics