The Moral Basis of Politics
GOVT 159
Spring 2016
| Section:
01
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| Certificates: Civic Engagement, International Relations, Social, Cultural, and Critical Theory |
An introduction to upper-level courses in political theory, the course considers the basic moral issues that hedge government and politics: Under what, if any, circumstances ought one to obey the laws and orders of those in power? Is there ever a duty to resist political authority? By what values and principles can we evaluate political arrangements? What are the meanings of terms like freedom, justice, equality, law, community, interests, and rights? How is our vision of the good society to be related to our strategies of political action? What are the roles of organization, leadership, compromise, and violence in bringing about social change? Readings will include political philosophy, plays, contemporary social criticism, and modern social science. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS GOVT |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CIVI-MN)(CSCT)(EDST)(GOVT)(HRAD-MN) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 75% - 89% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Plato, APOLOGY
Sophocles, ANTIGONE
Thoreau, "Civil Disobedience"
Martin Luther King, Jr., "Letter from Birmingham City Jail"
Locke, Letter Concerning Toleration
Machiavelli, THE PRINCE
Weber, "Politics As A Vocation"
Fanon, WRETCHED OF THE EARTH
Sartre, "Dirty Hands"
Camus, "Just Assassins"
Plato, The Republic
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Examinations and Assignments:
two short (2-3pp) papers; two 6-8 pp papers, final exam. |
| Instructor(s): Moon,J. Donald Times: ..T.R.. 09:00AM-10:20AM; Location: PAC421; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 35 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 0 | | |
| Seats Available: -3 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 0 | JR non-major: 0 | SO: 10 | FR: 25 |
| Web Resources: Syllabus |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 4 | 1st Ranked: 1 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 1 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 2 |
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