Assessment

Continuous Assessment / Tutorials 30% + Essay 20% + Exam 50%

Module Aims

The aim of this module is to provide foundational understanding of the Catholic social tradition, including knowledge of the social encyclical tradition and relevant socio-economic and historical events that prompted their issuing. In this module students will examine key developments in Catholic social teaching and gain knowledge of key concepts such as the common good, solidarity, justice, a preferential option for the poor, subsidiarity, and human dignity. The module utilizes contemporary scholarship in this area, both within the Catholic theological ethics and beyond. It will facilitate interdisciplinary intellectual engagement among participants. The module will enable students to ethically evaluate global structural injustice; students will consider the consequent power imbalances that exacerbate poverty, inequality, and social injustice; and will consider the role the Church can play in the public square.

Indicative Syllabus

• Week One: Key social encyclicals, Part 1: Pre-World War II.
• Week Two: Key social encyclicals, Part 2: The 1960’s and 70’s.
• Week Three: Key social encyclicals, Part 3: Popes John Paul, Benedict, Francis.
• Week Four: Local Bishops’ Conferences on CST: The Irish Bishops
• Week Five: Key Concepts within CST
• Week Six: Key Concepts within CST
• Week Seven: Integral Human Development
• Week Eight: Economic Justice versus “economies of exclusion”
• Week Nine: Case Study: Homelessness in Ireland
• Week Ten: Social Sin and Migrants
• Week Eleven: Climate Justice
• Week Twelve: Round up and exam preparation

Learning Outcomes

• — (Comprehension): demonstrate knowledge of key concepts relevant to this module. For instance, justice/injustice, social sin, human dignity, structural violence, the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity.
• — (Analysis): examine the connections between Catholic social teaching and the Church’s social mission in the world.
• — (Evaluate): appraise the relationship between poverty, inequality, and structural sin.
• — Evaluate): critically evaluate current scholarship in this area. 
• — (Synthesis): extrapolate from the Christian tradition, in particular from Catholic social ethics, relevant perspectives by which to consider the key justice issues of today.
• — (Application): employ the resources of the Christian tradition in a coherent manner when addressing issues of social ethics.
• — (Affective): demonstrate an appreciation of the centrality of the human person, in particular moral agency, freedom, and human dignity, in social and religious practice.

Bibliography

• — Kochurani Abraham, “Resistance: A Liberative Key in Feminist Ethics”, in Linda Hogan, A.E Orobator SJ (eds.), Feminist Catholic Theological Ethics: Conversations in the World Church, (Orbis Books, 2014).
• — Suzanne Mulligan, “Violence Against Women and the Virtue of Resistance”, The Furrow, vol.74 (1), January 2023, 3-10.
• — Anne Patrick, “Narrative and the Social Dynamics of Virtue”, in Charles E. Curran, Lisa Fullan (eds.), Virtue, (Paulist Press, 2011).
• — Jennie Weiss Block, M. Therese Lysaught, Alexander A. Martins, A Prophet to the Peoples: Paul Farmer’s Witness and Theological Ethics, Pickwick Press, 2023).
• — Judith Dwyer (ed.), The New Dictionary of Catholic Social Thought, (The Liturgical Press, 1994).
• — Kenneth R. Himes (ed.), Modern Catholic Social Teaching: Commentaries and Interpretations, Second Edition, (Georgetown University Press, 2018).
• — Sean McDonagh (ed.), Laudato Si: An Irish Response, (Dublin: Veritas, 2017).
• — Ethna Regan, Theology and the Boundary Discourse of Human Rights, (Georgetown University Press, 2010).
• — Donal Dorr, Option for the Poor and for the Earth, (Orbis Books, 2016).
• — Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, (London: Continuum, 2004).
• — Patricia Lamoureux, Paul J. Wadell, The Christian Moral Life: Faithful Discipleship for a Global Society, (New York: Orbis Books, 2010).
• — Michael J. Sandel, Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do? (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009).
• — Michael J. Sandel, The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? (Allen Lane Books, 2020).
• — Daniel G. Groody, Globalization, Spirituality, and Justice, (New York: Orbis Books, 2008).
• — Kristin E. Heyer, Kinship Across Borders: A Christian Ethic of Immigration, (Washington: Georgetown University Press, 2012).
• — Agnes M. Brazal, Maria Teresa Davila (eds.), Living With(out) Borders: Catholic Theological Ethics on the Migrations of Peoples, (New York: Orbis Books, 2016).
• — James F. Keenan, Mark McGreevy (eds), Street Homelessness and Catholic Theological Ethics, (New York: Orbis, 2019).