2006 - 2007 MFS
John Rawls' A Theory of Justice – March 1-3, 2007
Since its publication in 1971, A Theory of Justice has sold more than 200,000 copies and been translated into some two dozen languages. The seminal work of the most significant moral and political philosopher of the twentieth century, A Theory of Justice has profoundly shaped contemporary discussions of social, political, and economic justice, democracy, liberalism, constitutionalism, and international justice. This seminar will consider Rawls's contribution to these crucial theoretical and practical concepts. It will also examine Rawls's often controversial relationships with feminism, utilitarianism and communitarianism, the development of his thought from A Theory of Justice to later works like Political Liberalism, his place in the long history of liberalism, and the continuing legacy of his work, particularly in an era of both ethnically and religiously diverse societies and of economic globalization.
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Contemporary China – January 18-20, 2007
The Economist recently projected two possible, and equally plausible, futures for China: a booming economy and an increasingly liberal political system, or, social, political, and economic crisis. Given China's role in our global economy, its future matters to us all. This seminar will explore the challenges facing contemporary China, focusing on topics like migration and stratification, nationalism and the problem of ideology, and the impact of China's economic strengths and weaknesses both at home and abroad. Along with political scientists, historians, and economists, we will turn to film, cultural, and art historians, in order to explore the current explosion of artistic and cultural productions that seek to interpret and comment on this rapidly changing country.
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Hurricane Katrina and Contemporary America – November 2-4, 2006
We may imagine that natural disasters strike indiscriminately, yet Hurricane Katrina brought home that natural disasters do not level but rather exacerbate extant inequalities and injustices. This seminar will use Katrina and its aftermath as a lens through which to analyze a wide range of topics in contemporary American society and politics. These topics range from the impact of the disaster on both the public and the academic imaginary, the roles of political leadership and civil society in the contemporary U.S, deep divisions in American political opinion, the relationships between media and political institutions, and the cultural representations of race and the South.
Note: Please contact the Center to obtain to obtain a password to access the readings and lectures.
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University of Chicago