Citizenship, Patriotism, and Identity
This course introduces students to fundamental moral questions about countries and individuals’ membership in them. Do people owe more to their compatriots than to foreigners? Is it desirable – or at least permissible – for countries to have and promote a national identity? What different forms can patriotism take, and in which (if any) of these forms is it a virtue? Should we all be “citizens of the world”? These questions will be explored primarily through readings in contemporary moral and political philosophy.