59582 - Theories and Practices of Social Justice

Academic Year 2008/2009

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LS) in Pedagogy (cod. 0655)

Learning outcomes

Knowing the most important philosophical theories of justice and their applications; understanding and analyzing the philosophical foundations of current policies of social justice, particularly regarding welfare state and health care; knowing and actively assess recent debates on justice and care in applied ethics.

Course contents

Concepts of distributive/commutative justice; Aspects and theories of retributive justice; Concepts of merit and meritocracy; Duty and justice in Kantian ethics; Rawls' justice as fairness

Readings/Bibliography

[1] Sebastiano Maffettone-Salvatore Veca, L'idea di giustizia da Platone a Rawls, Laterza, Roma-Bari, 2003

[2] Rawls, Una teoria della giustizia, Feltrinelli, Milano, 1982, ch. 2 - 3.

[3] (choose one among the following:)

Amartya Sen, La diseguaglianza. Un riesame critico, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1994

Joan C. Tronto, Confini morali, Diabasis, Reggio Emilia, 2006

Judith N. Shklar, I volti dell'ingiustizia: iniquità o cattiva sorte?, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2000

Federico Stella, La giustizia e le ingiustizie, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2006

Teaching methods

Lectures and discussions; collective analysis of ethical issues

Assessment methods

viva voce; essays upon agreement with teacher

Teaching tools

slide shows (available as text format)

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Brigati