Unit rationale, description and aim

Scholars interested in understanding the philosophical underpinnings of western liberal democracy must first explore the shift in political and social thought that occurred roughly in the 17th and 18th centuries and which was oriented around new understandings of authority, freedom, and equality. These understandings emerged as the Reformation's emphasis on conscience and the Enlightenment's focus on reason allowed philosophers in that period to articulate an alternative vision of society grounded in human freedom and equality, not divine right, power, or lineage.

This unit introduces students to the ideas of Hobbes, who famously founded government on consent, and then traces the development of liberal thought through Locke and Rousseau towards such twentieth-century thinkers as Rawls and Nozick, exploring how liberal thought has shaped western democracies. Along the way, students will analyse the tension between liberty and equality, examine critics of philosophical liberalism, for example Marx, Taylor and Sandel who reject the liberal focus on the individual, as well as study internal debates between classical liberals, libertarians, and liberal egalitarians.

The unit aims to provide students with a firm grounding in the history and philosophy of liberal political thought as it developed over the centuries, as well as major sources of its critique.

2026 10

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  • Term Mode
  • Semester 1Campus Attendance

Prerequisites

WPOL100 The Birth of Politics: Origins of Western Political Thought

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Describe the key ideas related to liberalism and s...

Learning Outcome 01

Describe the key ideas related to liberalism and situate them in their historical and intellectual contexts.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Discuss the major social and political ideas in te...

Learning Outcome 02

Discuss the major social and political ideas in texts drawn from, and related to, the western liberal tradition.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Formulate intellectually-grounded judgments and co...

Learning Outcome 03

Formulate intellectually-grounded judgments and communicate clear and nuanced evidence-based arguments about the historical development of the liberal tradition in political thought.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC7, GC11, GC12

Apply disciplinary knowledge and skills to underst...

Learning Outcome 04

Apply disciplinary knowledge and skills to understand complex, real-world issues that arise as part of the legacy of liberalism.
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11, GC12

Content

Topics may include: 

  • the nature and development of political society;
  • theories of governmental legitimacy and the authority of law;
  • models of political organisation;
  • debates concerning justice and the notion of equality;
  • conceptions of political and social liberty, including analysis of issues involving the role of government and coercion
  • theories of property and ownership
  • debates regarding a just distribution of social resources
  • understandings of the self in relation to community
  • analysis of the nature of rights and their impact on community.

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment strategy for this unit has been designed to examine students’ understanding of the philosophical issues and theories under consideration and deepen their ability to analyse and critically reflect on those issues and theories. It does so through a mix of cooperative/discussion-based and individual projects. The written analysis task examines understanding of key issues, concepts and debates. The oral presentation task examines critical thinking skills applied to this field, as well as skills in both oral and written communication/ engagement. The research essay examines higher level critical analysis and written argumentation skills in the field of the history of political thought. In order to pass this unit, students are expected to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments. 

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1: Written analysis task   R...

Assessment Task 1: Written analysis task 

Requires students to discuss the major social and political ideas in texts drawn from, and related to, the western liberal tradition as well as formulate intellectually-grounded judgments and communicate clear and nuanced evidence-based arguments about the historical development of the liberal tradition in political thought.

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Assessment Task 2: Oral presentation with written...

Assessment Task 2: Oral presentation with written component  

Requires students to describe key ideas related to liberalism in the great works of the western political canon and demonstrate critical thinking skills in dialogue with others. 

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Assessment Task 3: Research Essay   Requires...

Assessment Task 3: Research Essay 

Requires students to critically analyse an important debate in the field and apply disciplinary knowledge and skills to understand complex, real-world issues that arise as part of the legacy of liberalism.

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

The unit has been designed as a blend of direct instruction, discussion and collaborative learning. The direct instruction ensures that students develop a strong understanding of important philosophical concepts and theories and how they relate to the political philosophy under investigation. The collaborative and discussion-based learning provides students with the opportunity to engage both theoretical concepts and historical applications. Seminars employ the Socratic method in order to stimulate critical thought and reflection. This dialogue method enables students actively to evaluate their understanding of important concepts and theories, and increase their confidence in debating. Throughout, instructional modes are designed to support students’ attainment of the learning outcomes by developing disciplinary knowledge and skills. Typical classroom activities include class discussions and debates, written critiques of significant theories, and presentations of reasoned opinion on distinct philosophical positions.

The learning and teaching and assessment strategies may include a range of approaches to support learning such as reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, video etc.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Burke, E. Reflections on the Revolution in France. L. G. Mitchell (ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Hobbes, T. (1996). Leviathan (R. Tuck, Ed.; Revised student edition.). Cambridge University Press. Online. Unlimited access https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/13lm7d8/alma991013472048502352

Locke, J. Two Treatises of Government and A Letter Concerning Toleration. I. Shapiro (ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.

Machiavelli, N., The Prince, ed. Quentin Skinner and Russell Price, Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019.

Mill, J. S. On Liberty. D. Bromwich and G. Kateb (eds.). New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.

Nozick, R. Anarchy, State, and Utopia. New York: Basic Books, 1974.

Rawls, J. A Theory of Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?context=L&vid=61ACU_INST:61ACU&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&tab=Everything&docid=alma991012628699302352

Rousseau, J-J. The Social Contract and the First and Second Discourses. S. Dunn (ed.).. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002.

Smith, A. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. K. Sutherland (ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Sandel, M. Liberalism and the Limits of Justice. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Taylor, C. Sources of the Self: The Making of Modern Identity. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1989.

Wolff, J. An Introduction to Political Philosophy. 2nd Ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

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