Philosophy 298: Special Problems (Global Justice and Universality) Focus on Seyla Benhabib and Cosmopolitan Normativity

Course Description: In this class, we introduce contemporary philosopher, Seyla Benhabib. Her thoughts on global justice, cosmopolitanism, and democratic iterations give us a robust and unique perspective on issues related to liberal democracies, culture, discourse ethics, and how it all relates to international law and universality. She was a student of Jurgen Habermas and is thus a scholar of Critical Theory but she challenges some of the tenets of her teacher by expanding our understanding of what Critical Theory entails.

This prolific writer and scholar has been very active in dialogues with other contemporary thinkers which is why, while we focus on her writings, we will also use her original ideas as a jumping off point for a more general discussion of political philosophy and current political, ethical dilemmas.