GV4D7      Half Unit
Dilemmas of Equality

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Dr Sarah Goff

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Gender, MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation, MSc in Gender, Policy and Inequalities, MSc in Human Rights, MSc in Human Rights and Politics, MSc in Inequalities and Social Science and MSc in Political Theory. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.

How to apply: to apply for a place on this course, please write a short statement of 200 words (max) outlining the specific reasons for applying and how the course will benefit your academic/career goals. Priority will be given to MSc in Political Theory students, and then students on the other programmes listed in the 'availability' section of the course guide. You should check that you meet any pre-requisites in the course guide before applying (where applicable). Places on capped courses cannot be guaranteed.  

Deadline for application: The deadline for applications is 12:00 noon on Friday 26 September 2025. You can expect to be informed of the outcome of your application by 12:00 noon on Monday 29 September 2025. Any places remaining after this date will be allocated based on priority and written statement - up until course selection closes.

For queries contact: gov.msc@lse.ac.uk  

This course has a limited number of places (it is controlled access) and demand is typically high. Priority is given to students in the MSc Political Theory programme, and students from outside this programme may not get a place.

This course is capped at 2 groups.

Course content

The course starts with the general questions of why equality matters and what is to be equalized. It then introduces some of the major debates in the contemporary egalitarian literature: equality of opportunity versus equality of outcome; luck egalitarianism versus relational equality; and equality versus sufficiency. Throughout the course, and particularly in the latter half, we consider concrete social problems and dilemmas faced by those who are committed to the ideal of equality. Topics covered this year include discrimination and policies that aim to reduce inequalities between social groups.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.

Formative assessment

Essay (1500 words)

Students will submit a short formative essay in the AT (up to 1,500 words) and will be given feedback on this before submitting their assessed coursework.

Indicative reading

Samantha Brennan, 'Feminist Ethics and Everyday Inequalities' Hypatia 24, 2009; Derek Parfit, 'Equality and Priority' Ratio 10, 1997; Ronald Dworkin, Sovereign Virtue: The Theory and Practice of Equality (Harvard University Press, 2000); Amartya Sen, Development as Freedom (Oxford University Press, 1999); Elizabeth Anderson, 'What is the Point of Equality?' Ethics 109, 1999; Harry Frankfurt, ‘The Moral Irrelevance of Equality’ Public Affairs Quarterly (2000); and Deborah Hellman, When is Discrimination Wrong? (Harvard University Press, 2011).

Assessment

Essay (100%, 4500 words) in Winter Term Week 2


Key facts

Department: Government

Course Study Period: Autumn Term

Unit value: Half unit

FHEQ Level: Level 7

CEFR Level: Null

Keywords: Equality, Political Theory

Total students 2024/25: 22

Average class size 2024/25: 11

Controlled access 2024/25: No
Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Communication