Citizens, Judges, Juries: Who Decides in Democracy?
GOVT 399
Spring 2016 not offered
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| Certificates: Social, Cultural, and Critical Theory |
The tensions between rule by the people, rule by elites, and rule of law are at the core of democratic theory. What is the proper balance among the three? Under what circumstances is one group of decision makers better than another? What happens when they come into conflict? This is an upper-level course in political theory designed for students who have taken GOVT159 The Moral Basis of Politics or an equivalent course in philosophy and related disciplines. We will focus on the following topics: the role of voting in liberal democracies, the Athenian jury system, deliberative democracy, referendum and initiatives, civil disobedience, and the role of juries in the U.S. criminal justice system. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS GOVT |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CSCT)(GOVT)(GOVT-Theory)(HRAD-MN) |
Major Readings:
John Locke, TWO TREATISES OF GOVERNMENT
Bruce Ackerman, WE THE PEOPLE
Ronald Dworkin, THE PHILOSOPHY OF LAW
Shannon Stimson, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION IN LAW
Josiah Ober, MASS AND ELITE IN DEMOCRATIC ATHENS
James C. Scott, TWO CHEERS FOR ANARCHISM
Carole Pateman, THE SEXUAL CONTRACT
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Examinations and Assignments:
Four 6-8-page papers, One 12-page paper, smaller weekly assignments |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
The course is an upper level course in political theory and requires familiarity with writing theoretical papers, as well as with thinkers such as John Locke, John Stuart Mill, Aristotle, etc. Students who have studied these thinkers within a variety of disciplines (GOVT, PHIL, CSS, etc) are welcome to apply. |
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