Course Description
This course explores comparative and global perspectives on justice and injustice by weaving classical texts and contemporary materials. The approach, while anchored in philosophical methodology and idiom, seeks to be trans-historical, cross-cultural and interdisciplinary as well as topical.
Course Objectives
By the time you finish this course, you will:
- Have a more comprehensive, substantial and globalized understanding of some of the key socio-political issues of our time.
- Have a more critical and engaged perspective on issues you have ignored, underestimated or misunderstood.
- Have a deeper appreciation of differences and commonalities between cultures and histories.
- Know how to formulate your own questions & ideas, in both dialogue and writing; intellectual plurality and originality, if well-justified and grounded, will be rewarded.
Learning Objectives
- Focusing on historical, literary, and philosophical primary texts and contexts, students will gain a comprehensive foundation in major concepts, underlying principles, values, issues, and theories of justice in non-Western traditions / cultures in several historical periods.
- Students will learn to identify, compare, contrast, apply and evaluate the concepts, underlying principles, values, and theories embedded in justice-related issues, events, and texts; they will be able to formulate, find a theoretical framework for, and seek answers to their own original research questions.
- Students will learn to employ, compare, and evaluate the methods of inquiry used in the disciplines of history, literary study, and philosophy; students will be able to select and apply these methods to the study of justice-related concepts, issues, events, and texts, and to the investigation of their own original research questions.
- Students will be able to produce well-reasoned, well-researched, well-documented and articulate texts, including essays, a Thesis Prospectus and/or draft, and a final Senior Thesis.
- Students will be able to investigate an original research question or research problem, and / or argue an original thesis, by engaging in a critical, rigorous, and ethical process of academic research.Have a deeper appreciation of differences and commonalities between cultures and histories.
Required Texts
- Selected readings and audio-visual materials, all web-linked or pdf downloadable from the class schedule page.
- Each day of the class, you must bring a hard copy of the listed reading material or at least the electronic file** in question. Those not in posession of the class material in any readable form are considered unprepared and thus will be noted negatively.
- **In-class use of a laptop or any portable electronic devices where the reading file is stored, is allowed, provided that you use this "wireless" freedom responsibly by limiting your online activities strictly to the classroom material; emailing, face-booking, texting, surfing, shopping, gaming, etc., all these extracurricular activities are strictly prohibited during the classtime. The violation of this code of conduct, any form of idle abuse of classtime, will be regarded as a serious offence and the student in question will be immediately evicted from the classroom, which will then be counted as an unexcused absence.
<<On Daily Reading and Journaling>>
- Try and read all the assigned/required reading per class day and
- write a well-condensed and composed (no rambling or waffling, please) journal either
- combining all/any of the readings or doing an in-depth analysis of one text (or chapter) of your choice.
<<Examples: Journals on "The Personal is Theoretical?"; Theoretical is Scientific?; "Naming Opression and Position":
These examples are quite extensive, and you should aim for a shorter version of the comparable level of analytic and critical reading.>>
Grading Scale
97- A+93- A90- A-87- B+83- B80- B-77- C+73- C70- C-67- D+63- D60- D-Below 60 F (Fail)Grade A: Mastery of the issues and literature, and an ability to make some original contribution. Grade B: Good grasp of issues and literature, but little or no attempt at own contribution. Grade C: Some but uncertain grasp of the issues. Grade D: Failure to grasp issues but some attempt made. Grade F: Not even trying. [I have borrowed this description of the evaluation criteria from the standardized syllabi used in NYU in London, England, UK.] 100 points system is used.
- Grades are unnegotiable, unless there is a clerical error.
- All the grades up to the final exam or paper are calculated numerically in order to give each student maximum opportunities to recuperate, and also to evaluate more accurately the learning process and incremental achievements.
- At the end, the numeric total will be converted to the corresponding letter grade.
Course Requirements and Evaluation Criteria
Attending (10 pt)
- Up to 2 absences are allowed with no penalties and 100 % attendance is rewarded with 3 extra points (13 pt); save/use those for occasional medical/personal/family emergencies, accidents, mood swings, heart-breaks, personal rainy days, etc. No need to notify me of such in advance or provide a document later. Just use those two slots freely, as necessary. Save and use your time wisely.
- From the 3th absence, you lose 3 points per class missed, and after 50% absence from the class days, you automatically fail the course.
- Only under extraordinary circumstances such as an accident, sudden illness or chronic conditions requiring long-term hospitalization or recursive medical care, further absences beyond those two above will be excused on an individual basis, provided that official documentary evidence such as a doctor's note, a police report, etc., are submitted at the time of special request.
- Lateness causes disruption and affects your own learning process: late means half-present (1.5 pt deducted).
- Attendance means 100% physical presence from start to finish of class time; leaving early means half-present (1.5 pt deducted).
- Attendance means 100 % mental attention; distracting on-line activities are prohibited (if caught, evicted & 3 pt deducted).
Preparing/Presenting/Participating (30 pt)
- Preparation (10 pt): Your knowledge of the reading material for each day will be constantly, individually and randomly monitored. The result will be assessed and logged daily. This functions as a loose form of daily quiz; if you get "caught" unprepared, you lose points.
- Presentation (10 pt): At least 1 presentation required, 2 recommended, upto 3 allowed if no one else volunteers; each maximum 5pt.
- Participation (10 pt): Active and meaningful participation in classroom discussion is not an option but a requirement.
Writing (60 pt): turnitin.com: A Single file (One Master File) containing 10 Journals and 2 Papers
- 10 Journals (20 pt): Each minimum 500 words on any one of the class readings and those only. Each must clearly contain:
- a succinct summary of the reading material
- a critical response to or close analysis of any crucial passage(s) which should also be clearly cited, and
- a conclusive elaboration of the significance of the topic and the passage(s) under discussion.
- Aim for clarity and perfection. Any entry lacking in any of the above three elements receives a zero point: fail (0 pt); pass (1 pt); good (2 pt)
- 2 Papers (40 pt): Each minimum 3,000 words or, if you prefer, 1 paper with minimum 6,000 words. Each must clearly contain:
- Topic: any figure/topic of your choice from the textbook(s) or classroom discussions
- Primary Source: readings on the syllabus & textbook(s)
- Outside Sources: print or internet-based, in any combination, up to 10; any reference, whether a url, a chapter, or a book, counts as 1.
- Bibliographic Format: any standard academic style such as APA/Chicago/MLA
- See Grading Rubric And Refer to John Jay Writing Center Referral Form In Order Not to Be Referred To.
- The submission deadline is firm. For each calendar day day missed, 2 points will be deducted.
- Regularly and frequently throughout the course, students will have a chance to receive live feedback on their drafts, and the grade for the writing component will be determined solely on the basis of the polished portfolio submitted on the last day of class.
- Strongly Recommendable Reference: They Say/I Say: Moves That Matter in Academic Writing with Readings
Statement of College Policy on Plagiarism
"Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else‘s ideas, words, or artistic, scientific, or technical work as one‘s own creation. Using the ideas or work of another is permissible only when the original author is identified. Paraphrasing and summarizing, as well as direct quotations, require citations to the original source. Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional. Lack of dishonest intent does not necessarily absolve a student of responsibility for plagiarism. It is the student‘s responsibility to recognize the difference between statements that are common knowledge (which do not require documentation) and restatements of the ideas of others. Paraphrase, summary, and direct quotation are acceptable forms of restatement, as long as the source is cited. Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with their instructors. The Library has free guides designed to help students with problems of documentation." (From the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Undergraduate Bulletin, p. 36)
Should plagiarism be determined, a formal disciplinary action will be taken immediately: the student in question will receive an F grade for the course.Accommodation of Religious Observances
Upon request, academic accommodations for a religious observance are available on an individual basis; by the end of the second week, please provide me with a supplementary document that specifies and verifies your context and needs for modification.
Accommodation of Documented Disabilities
Please contact me within the first two weeks of the semester. An appropriate, case-by-case arrangement will be made to ensure that the student in question is given an equal opportunity for learning.
Any questions about the basic details already specified on the syllabus here will be disregarded.
HJS 310. International Perspectives on Justice
Prof. Kyoo Lee, 524 West 59th St. Rm 8.63.15, Dept. of Philosophy, John Jay College, CUNY
Office Hours: By Appointment (Before or After Class)
