Political Philosophy
PHIL 278
Spring 2018
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01
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Political philosophy addresses fundamental questions about the basis and purpose of human association and community. What is the role of justice in human affairs, and what makes a set of social arrangements just? What is political freedom, and is it compatible with equality? What is the source of our ideas about law and punishment? What are the conditions of the legitimate exercise of power? We will cover three basic units: (I) Ancient, (II) Early Modern, and (III) Revolution and Radicalism. In the first, we will discuss early Greek conceptions of justice and political organization. Next, we will look at the period from roughly 1500-1780, when new ideas about political power, human nature, equality, and natural law emerge. Here we will focus on the work of Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. Finally, in the third unit, we will consider the way in which the three major revolutions at the end of the eighteenth century--in the U.S., France, and Haiti--constitute a horizon for contemporary political thought. These revolutions hold out the promise of an unfinished "social revolution" in class organization (Marx), but also of liberation from racism, patriarchy, and other forms of oppression. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS PHIL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (HRAD-MN)(PHIL)(PHIL-Philosophy)(PHIL-Social Jus) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Plato, THE REPUBLIC (Hackett)
Machiavelli, THE PRINCE (Cambridge UP)
Hobbes, LEVIATHAN (Hackett, ed. Curley)
Locke, SECOND TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT (Hackett)
Pateman and Brennan, "'MERE AUXILIARIES OF THE COMMONWEALTH': WOMEN AND THE ORIGINS OF LIBERALISM"
Rousseau, THE SOCIAL CONTRACT (Hackett)
Charles Mills, THE RACIAL CONTRACT (Cornel UPl)
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (USA)
DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN AND THE CITIZEN (FRANCE)
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (HAITI)
Olympe de Gouges, DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN AND THE FEMALE CITIZEN
Marx and Engels, THE MARX-ENGELS READER (Norton, ed. Tucker)
THE COMBAHEE RIVER COLLECTIVE STATEMENT (1977)
Angela Y. Davis, ARE PRISONS OBSOLETE? (Seven Stories Press, 2003)
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Examinations and Assignments:
2 papers |
| Instructor(s): Feldman,Alex Times: ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM; Location: JUDD113; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 25 | | SR major: 5 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 3 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 5 | JR non-major: 5 | SO: 5 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 3 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 1 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 1 | Unranked: 1 |
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