2021/22 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LISS1050 Reparations for Historical Injustices

10 creditsClass Size: 30

Module manager: Christina Nick
Email: C.Nick@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: 1 Jul to 31 Aug View Timetable

Year running 2021/22

Pre-requisite qualifications

GPA of 2.8 (US) or equivalent and enrolled at a university

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Societies are significantly shaped by their histories. But how do we reckon with our past when it involves large-scale injustices such as, for example, slavery, genocide or colonialism? This module examines recent debates in moral and political philosophy that have aimed to answer this problem. In the first week, you will consider the question of who might have a responsibility to make reparations. You will also consider to whom this responsibility could be owed. This issue is particularly pertinent when considering historic injustices where both perpetrators and victims are no longer alive. In the second week, you will explore the different forms that reparations can take. For example, the restitution of stolen land or property. Or monetary compensation, apologies and commemoration. Throughout the module, you will use these philosophical explorations to assess real life historic injustices. For example, the Holocaust, North American settler colonialism, and Japanese military sexual slavery. The module usually includes a field trip to the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.

Objectives

This module aims to:

1. Introduce students to the conceptual and normative issues at stake in addressing historical injustices

2. Enable students to develop their analytical skills by reflecting on the work of a number of philosophers who have tried to address these issues

3. Challenge students to critically reflect on a number of relevant contemporary political problems

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students have a basic ability to:

1. Debate key issues in the study of reparations for historical injustices

2. Evaluate the work of contemporary moral and political philosophers

3. Create links between philosophical thought and political practice

4. Construct a clearly expressed argument for a point of view

5. Write reflectively about their learning process

Syllabus

Each day will cover a core question in the study of mitigating historical injustices. Indicative questions:

1. Can we have duties to make reparations to victims who are no longer alive?
2. On what basis can the descendants of victims claim a right to reparations?
3. Do those who benefit from injustice have a duty to make reparations?
4. To what extent are unrepaired historic injustices really in the past?
5. Can claims to restitution be superseded?
6. What would it mean to make appropriate compensation for historic injustices?
7. What role can apologies play in making reparations?
8. How should we commemorate the past?
For each topic we will focus on a particular case study to link philosophical issues with political practice, such as, for example: American slavery, British theft of cultural artefacts, the Holocaust, Japanese military sexual slavery, climate change refugees from the Pacific Islands, settler colonialism in North America and Australasia

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Visit	1	10.00	10.00
Fieldwork	1	8.00	8.00
Seminar	8	3.00	24.00
Independent online learning hours			15.00
Private study hours			43.00
Total Contact hours			42.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

15 hours pre-course preparatory work (materials available on Minerva): this will include reading and answering seminar questions for the week 1 material

43 hours private study: this will include
- 15 hours reading and answering seminar questions for the week 2 material
- 20 hours researching for and contributing to group blog
- 8 hours preparing and writing reflective log

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress will be monitored through:

Seminar discussions
Feedback on draft of group blog

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Group Project	Group blog	50.00
Reflective log	1,000 words	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

For the group assessment a single mark will normally be given to all contributors to the blog based on the application of the marking criteria to the overall performance of the group. To ensure fairness, students will be asked to fill in a self- and group-assessment survey explaining the level of each group member’s involvement in the project.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 26/01/2022

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