Course Description
Major issues in theoretical discussions of democracy, such as the nature of democratic government, its purposes, its justification, its limitations, and the conditions necessary for its maintenance.
Athena Title
PROB DEMOCRAT THEOR
Prerequisite
POLS 1101
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course introduces students to issues in theoretical discussions of democracy, such as the nature of democratic government, its purposes, its justification, its limitation, and the conditions necessary for its maintenance. The course will examine central texts in the literature of democratic theory which may include the works of Aristotle, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, Montesquieu, Rawls, Arrow, Downs, Elster, and Sen. Students will study the strategies of argument, analysis, and persuasion employed by these theorists to justify their central claims, as well as the political and historical significance of the theories of democracy that their works develop. Throughout the course, students will demonstrate their understanding through a critical examination of arguments developed in the relevant texts; they will learn theories of democracy, representation, legitimacy, rights, and constitutionalism and how to evaluate them; they will practice their critical thinking, analytic, and problem-solving skills; and they will, in their written work and participation in class discussions, learn to apply these skills to ethical, legal, and political issues and to problems in the community. Students may be evaluated based on examinations, research papers, class participation, presentations, and/or homework.
Topical Outline
POSSIBLE TOPICS Representative Government Legitimacy Constitutionalism Countermajoritarian Democratic Institutions Rights Theory Consent Theory Pluralism Toleration Social Contract Theory Federalism The Logic of Collective Action Game Theory Social Choice Theory Separation of Powers Checks and Balances Adaptive Preferences
Syllabus