R672/770 Seminar in Social Ethics                                                   Professor Richard Miller

AMST G620                                                                                   miller3@indiana.edu

Topic: Religion, Justice, and Culture                                          Office: Sycamore 221                

Department of Religious Studies                                                       Phone: 5-1431

Indiana University                                                                            Hours: W 1-3; Thurs 3-4

 

                                                                     Description

 

This course addresses matters of religious commitment and cultural identity in recent debates about social justice and public philosophy.  We will examine these issues in light of liberal and communitarian theories of justice, and will then turn to arguments from modern Judaism

and Christianity that echo, challenge, or amend those theories.  We will close by examining feminist and multicultural contributions to recent debates about social justice.  Topics include the basis of individual and institutional responsibility, theories of agency and culture, the place of religion in public discourse, and the challenge of tolerating intolerant groups in democratic society.

 

                                                                        Format

 

This class meets once a week for two hours.  The first class will lay out some issues to define the parameters for subsequent meetings, and will coordinate the writing assignments.  The remainder of the semester will take on a modified seminar format.  I will begin each class with a brief set of prepared comments, and then turn to you for comments, questions, argument, and discussion.   

 

                                                                  Requirements

 

For R672 and G620: In addition to regular class attendance and participation (10%), students are required to submit five brief critical papers and one 12 page, double-spaced focus paper.  The brief papers are due on the Monday before the class to which they are assigned.  Those papers should be 2-3 pages, single spaced, and should critically assess the reading assignment.  These papers are worth 50% of the final grade.  Summary papers are not acceptable and will be returned for revision.  A focus paper, worth 40%, is also required.  That paper makes a more extended assessment of one (or two) of the readings in light of one of the themes that we have discussed during the semester.  The focus paper is due Friday, December 10 at 5:00pm. 

 

For R770: In addition to regular class attendance and participation (10%), students are required to submit four brief critical papers (40%) and one 20-25 research paper (50%).  On the brief, critical paper, see above re: R672.  The research paper should be on a topic approved by the instructor.  A thesis statement, outline, and bibliography for this paper are due on Tuesday, Nov. 9. The final paper is due at 5:00 PM on Friday, December 10. 

 

 

 

                                                                         Texts

 

John Rawls, A Theory of Justice; Political Liberalism

John Rawls, "The Idea of Public Reason Revisited," University of Chicago Law Review 64 (Summer 1997): 765-807.

Michael Sandel, Liberalism and the Limits of Justice, 2nd ed.

Martin Buber, I and Thou

Reinhold Niebuhr, The Nature and Destiny of Man

H. Richard Niebuhr, The Responsible Self

U.S. Catholic Bishops, Economic Justice For All

Michael Walzer, Spheres of Justice: A Defense of Pluralism and Equality

Charles Taylor, Multiculturalism and "The Politics of Recognition"

Gustavo Gutierrez, A Theology of Liberation

Susan Moller Okin, Justice, Gender, and the Family

Will Kymlicka, Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights

 

Recommended as prior or supplementary reading:

 

Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue

Carol Gilligan, In a Different Voice

Stanley Hauerwas, The Peaceable Kingdom

Mary Ann Glendon: Rights Talk: The Impoverishment of Political Discourse

Charles Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity

Michael Carrithers, Steven Collins, and Steven Lukes, eds., The Category of the Person: Anthropology, Philosophy, History

Paul Lauritzen, Religious Belief and Emotional Transformation: A Light in the Heart

William Galston, Liberal Purposes

Will Kymlicka, Political Philosophy: An Introduction

 

I have also compiled a collection of essays on liberalism and communitarianism by, e.g., M. Walzer, W. Galston, C. Larmore, W. Kymlicka, A. Gutmann, and others.  These will be available in a folder in the RS library (Sy 224).

 

                                                                       Schedule

 

1. Introduction

 

2. John Rawls, A Theory of Justice, secs. 1-4, 11, 15-17, (19), 22-24, 29, 33-35, 39-40

 

3. Rawls, A Theory of Justice, secs. 60, 65-67, (70-74), 75-77, 79, 82, 85-87

 

4. Rawls, Political Liberalism, Introductions (second/paperback edition; pp. xv-lxii); pp. 1-40; 47-66; 77-81; 133-158; 190-200

 

5. Rawls, AThe Idea of Public Reason Revisited@ University of Chicago Law Review, pp. 765-87; 794-807 (skim pp. 787-794).  This will be accompanied by a handout (in advance). 

 

6. Michael Sandel, Liberalism and the Limits of Justice, 2nd ed.

 

7. Martin Buber, I and Thou

 

8. Reinhold Niebuhr, The Nature and Destiny of Man, Vol. 1, chaps. 7, 8; Vol. 2, (chap 4); chap. 9  

         

9. H. Richard Niebuhr, The Responsible Self, supplemental essays

 

10. U.S. Catholic Bishops, Equal Justice for All; David Hollenbach, AA Communitarian Reconstruction of Human Rights@

 

11. Michael Walzer, Spheres of Justice: A Defense of Pluralism and Equality, preface & chaps. 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13

 

12. Charles Taylor, Multiculturalism and "The Politics of Recognition"

 

13. Gustavo Gutierrez, A Theology of Liberation, 15th anniversary edition, xii-xlvi; 49-174.

 

14. Susan Moller Okin, Justice, Gender, and the Family, chaps. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 (pp.110-117; 124-33), 7, 8; and Rawls, AThe Idea of Public Reason Revisited@ University of Chicago Law Review, pp. 787-94

 

15. Will Kymlicka, Multicultural Citizenship: A Liberal Theory of Minority Rights, chaps. 1-3, 5-6, 8-10