Course Description
The first two-thirds of the course is a selective survey of the history of Western political thought covering works by Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Marx, among others. The final one-third of the course introduces students to John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice and other works of contemporary political theory.
Athena Title
Intro to Political Theory
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in POLS 3000, POLS 3000H
Non-Traditional Format
This course will be taught 95% or more online.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will read and study some of the most influential texts in the Western canon, from Plato’s Republic to John Locke’s Second Treatise, as well as more recent work in political theory, such as John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice. We’ll use these readings to think about basic and important political questions, many of which, in one form or another, remain controversial. What is the best form of government? What kind of role should the people play in a democracy? What justifies institutions of private property? Does justice permit, or require, the state to appropriate and redistribute wealth?
Topical Outline
1. Democracy in ancient Athens 2. Plato 3. Aristotle 4. Hobbes 5. Locke 6. Rousseau 7. Bentham 8. Mill 9. Marx 10. Rawls
Syllabus