Philosophy of Race

Module overview

Philosophy of race covers metaphysical, epistemological, and normative questions about race, race-thinking, and racial injustice. What do we think about when we think about race and races? Do races exist, or has contemporary science shown that there are no underlying biological facts that correspond to our racial concepts? Is race a "social construct", and if so, what does that mean? How do race and race-thinking shape our knowledge? What is racism, and what makes it wrong? What social/political policies and individual actions are justifiable responses to historical and ongoing racial injustices? What, if anything, is morally objectionable about racial profiling?

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

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

influential answers to those questions and the problems they face;
some of the questions which reflection on the notion of race gives raise to;
some of the respects in which a correct characterisation of the notion of race matters to individuals and to society at large.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

think critically about a number of issues relating to the notion of race;
articulate and defend your own views concerning the notion of race.
present and debate ideas in a rigorous and open-minded way;

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

undertake independent study, including identifying and using appropriate resources;
complete work to deadlines and under time pressure.
contribute to discussion of controversial issues in an informed and dispassionate way;

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include - Lectures; - Group discussion; - One-on-one consultation with module co-ordinator. Learning activities include - Attending lectures; - Contributing to class discussion; - Doing independent research for and writing assessments. Formative assessment occurs throughout this module as a natural part of taught sessions

Study time
Type	Hours
Teaching	33
Independent Study	117
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Joshua Glasgow, Sally Haslanger, Chike Jeffers, and Quayshawn Spencer (2019). What is Race? Four Philosophical Views. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Paul C. Taylor (2021). Race: A Philosophical Introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Assessment

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:
Final Assessment:
Group Work: No

Summative

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

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	100%

Referral

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

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Written assignment	100%

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.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Assessment tasks	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External