Ethics of Global Poverty

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• problems, positions and arguments that play a key role in ethical debates about global poverty.
• some of the basic concepts used in philosophical debates concerning global poverty.
• how to apply this understanding in addressing philosophical questions concerning global poverty.
• how to relate the issues explored in this module to those in other modules (e.g. Ethics, Applied Ethics).

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• work effectively to deadlines.
• take notes from talks and written materials.
• undertake independent work, including identifying and using appropriate resources.
• express views clearly and concisely.
• contribute to discussion in a critical but dispassionate way.

Cognitive Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• debate and criticise ideas and arguments in an even-handed fashion.
• present ideas in writing, clearly and carefully.
• articulate and defend your own views regarding the issues the module concerns.
• interpret, synthesise and criticise complex texts and positions.

The syllabus may vary from year to year. Topics might include:

• World poverty and philosophical ethics
• Positive duties, negative duties, and new harms
• Demandingness and the limits of beneficience
• Effective altruism
• Moral theories and duties to help the poor

Teaching methods include

• Lectures
• In-class discussion
• One-on-one consultation with module co-ordinator

Learning activities include

• Attending classes
• Contribution to class discussion
• Doing independent research for and writing assessed work

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Essay proposal

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback: Students will receive written feedback on the draft essay. Students have the opportunity to receive further feedback from the module co-ordinator on any aspect of their performance during office hours or by appointment.
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No
• Percentage contribution: 100%

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.