POT2002 Introduction to Political Theory
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Course Description:
This class is designed to familiarize students with a number of thinkers generally recognized as fundamental for the development of political modernity. It resembles a sort of “greatest hits” album, and a short one at that. But while the course is in no way meant to be exhaustive in its scope, the authors we read have all been central to the articulation of a number of traditions that continue to exert a profound impact on contemporary Western political theory and practice. In this vein, ideologies to be discussed include (but will not be limited to): authoritarianism, republicanism, liberalism, democracy, socialism, and Marxism. Topically, we will discuss political obligation versus political obedience, political resistance and revolution, the “social contract,” natural rights, sovereignty, liberty, private property, history, power, and human nature. We will also address such problems as the relationships between ethics and politics, religion and politics, philosophy and politics, commercial and political life, and the consequences of economic inequality.
In addition to introducing students to canonical texts in political theory, a larger goal of this course will be looking at why we engage with them. These ideologies, topics, and relationships constitute, in part, the political, cultural, economic, and social situations that we exist within right now. Studying them helps us understand that we are already engaged in co-creating our world, whether or not we realize it. Thus, our broader goal in this course is to come to grips, at least in some small measure, with how we in the modern West have become what we are, and to think critically about the ways in which knowledge derived from reflection upon old texts might inform the political life we create for ourselves in the present. This requires actively and aggressively reading texts in order to gain a critical awareness of the themes, arguments, and insights they contain. Having “critical awareness” means being able to speak intelligently about an argument (giving more than just an intuitive reaction) and express its significance to others.
Course Description:
This class is designed to familiarize students with a number of thinkers generally recognized as fundamental for the development of political modernity. It resembles a sort of “greatest hits” album, and a short one at that. But while the course is in no way meant to be exhaustive in its scope, the authors we read have all been central to the articulation of a number of traditions that continue to exert a profound impact on contemporary Western political theory and practice. In this vein, ideologies to be discussed include (but will not be limited to): authoritarianism, republicanism, liberalism, democracy, socialism, and Marxism. Topically, we will discuss political obligation versus political obedience, political resistance and revolution, the “social contract,” natural rights, sovereignty, liberty, private property, history, power, and human nature. We will also address such problems as the relationships between ethics and politics, religion and politics, philosophy and politics, commercial and political life, and the consequences of economic inequality.
In addition to introducing students to canonical texts in political theory, a larger goal of this course will be looking at why we engage with them. These ideologies, topics, and relationships constitute, in part, the political, cultural, economic, and social situations that we exist within right now. Studying them helps us understand that we are already engaged in co-creating our world, whether or not we realize it. Thus, our broader goal in this course is to come to grips, at least in some small measure, with how we in the modern West have become what we are, and to think critically about the ways in which knowledge derived from reflection upon old texts might inform the political life we create for ourselves in the present. This requires actively and aggressively reading texts in order to gain a critical awareness of the themes, arguments, and insights they contain. Having “critical awareness” means being able to speak intelligently about an argument (giving more than just an intuitive reaction) and express its significance to others.
image credit: Wall Street Journal