Introduction to political thought

This course examines major texts in the history of political thought and the questions they raise about the design of the political and social order. It considers the ways in which thinkers have responded to the particular political problems of their day, and the ways in which they contribute to a broader conversation about human goods and needs, justice, democracy, and the proper relationship of the individual to the state. One aim will be to understand the strengths and weaknesses of various regimes and philosophical approaches in order to gain a critical perspective on our own. Thinkers include Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, and Tocqueville.

Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session

A selection of paper topics will be distributed two weeks in advance of each paper assignment.

A selection of exam questions will also be distributed in advance of the final, a subset of which will appear in the exam itself.

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