Political Ideas – Isaiah Berlin

About this Course

About the Course

In this course, Dr Dimova-Cookson (Durham University) explores the political ideas of Isaiah Berlin. In the first module, we give context to the life and works of Isaiah Berlin. Then, in the second module, we explore Berlin’s concept of negative freedom, before turning in the third module to compare this to Berlin’s notion of positive freedom. Here we think in particular about Berlin’s fear that positive freedom can lay the groundwork for legitimising political indoctrination. In the fourth module, we explore Berlin’s idea of value pluralism through contrast with monism, and comment on how Berlin could be seen as an exponent of multiculturalism. Finally, in the fifth module, we explore Berlin’s legacy and comment on some critiques of his work, before concluding with a defence of Berlin’s distinction between positive and negative freedom, drawing directly on Dr Dimova-Cookson’s own work in her book “Rethinking Positive and Negative Freedom”. This course may be particularly useful for those interested in the Liberalism and Multiculturalism aspects of the Core and Non-Core Political Ideas components of the AQA and Edexcel Government and Politics A Level.

About the Lecturer

Dr Dimova-Cookson is the Associate Professor in Political Theory in Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs. Her research focuses on moral and political issues in political thought, including the dual nature of liberty, justifications of human rights, moral development, value pluralism, ethical particularism versus ethical universalism, and multiculturalism. She recently published 'Rethinking Positive and Negative Liberty' (2020).