Course Description
Major problems that arise 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 IN DEM THEORY
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course examines major problems that arise in theoretical discussions of democracy relating to issues concerning 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, independent research projects, presentations, class participation, and/or homework.
Topical Outline
POSSIBLE TOPICS Representative Government Legitimacy Constitutionalism Constitutional Law Legal Reasoning and Interpretation Rights Theory Countermajoritarian Democratic Institutions Consent Theory Social Contract Theory Pluralism Toleration Federalism The Logic of Collective Action Game Theory Social Choice Theory Separation of Powers Checks and Balances Adaptive Preferences