300129 Reading "The Tyranny of Merit" by Michael Sandel (S) (WiSe 2021/2022)

The book “The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good?” by the philosopher Michael J. Sandel explores some of the most central questions we are nowadays facing, such as rising inequality, the populist movements and political polarization across societies. The book’s central argument is that these developments have been largely fuelled by the meritocratic ethic of self-making and personal responsibility, which has become increasingly more entrenched in recent decades.

In the seminar, in addition to discussing the book’s arguments and illustrations, we will bring in additional examples that can help us better understand the meritocratic way of thinking, its origins, and consequences.

More about the book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374289980
Read the introduction: https://us.macmillan.com/excerpt?isbn=9780374289980

The seminar will be in English.

Zoom link and other relevant information can be found in the Lernraum.