Political Science 400

Course Overview

Political Science 400 is an upper-level seminar designed to critically examine the foundational and contemporary theories that govern political systems. Unlike introductory courses that survey the broad landscape of political science, this capstone course invites students to engage deeply with the normative and empirical questions regarding power, authority, justice, and the state.

In the modern era, the traditional nation-state faces challenges from globalization, digital surveillance, economic inequality, and transnational terrorism. This course situates current political crises within the history of political thought. We will move from the social contract theorists of the 17th and 18th centuries to the debates surrounding liberalism, Marxism, feminism, and post-colonialism in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Through rigorous analysis of primary texts and contemporary case studies, students will explore how political institutions are legitimized, how rights are adjudicated, and how the concept of "the political" itself evolves over time. The seminar format demands active participation, where students are not just passive recipients of knowledge but critical interrogators of established doctrines.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Analyze Core Concepts: Deconstruct complex concepts such as sovereignty, liberty, equality, and justice, demonstrating an understanding of their historical evolution and contemporary application.
• Critical Evaluation: Critically assess major arguments in political theory, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and underlying assumptions in the works of key thinkers.
• Theoretical Application: Apply theoretical frameworks to real-world political issues, ranging from privacy rights in the digital age to the ethics of humanitarian intervention.
• Communicate Effectively: Formulate coherent, evidence-based arguments in both written and oral formats, adhering to academic standards of citation and debate.
• Interdisciplinary Approach: Integrate insights from economics, sociology, and history to enrich the understanding of political phenomena.

Syllabus & Weekly Modules

The course is structured into four thematic units. Each unit consists of two weeks of seminar discussions based on the assigned readings.

Unit I: The Foundations of Modern Politics

We begin by revisiting the origins of the modern state. What is the basis of political obligation? Why do individuals consent to be governed? We examine the classic replies offered by Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

• Week 1: The State of Nature and the Leviathan. Focus on Thomas Hobbes.
• Week 2: Property, Consent, and Revolution. Focus on John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Unit II: Liberty, Equality, and the Critique of Capitalism

This unit shifts to the 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on the tension between individual freedom and economic equality. We explore the liberal utilitarian tradition and its revolutionary Marxist critique.

• Week 3: Utilitarianism and the Harm Principle. Focus on John Stuart Mill.
• Week 4: Alienation and Class Struggle. Focus on Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

Unit III: Justice, Rights, and Contemporary Democracy

How do we structure a fair society in a pluralistic world? This section covers the 20th-century revival of normative political theory, exploring distributive justice and the capabilities approach.

• Week 5: Justice as Fairness. Focus on John Rawls and Robert Nozick.
• Week 6: The Politics of Recognition and Multiculturalism. Focus on Charles Taylor and Will Kymlicka.

Unit IV: Power, Resistance, and Global Governance

The final unit looks beyond the state. We analyze the nature of power in the international system and the emerging forms of transnational governance and civil resistance.

• Week 7: Biopower and Panopticism. Focus on Michel Foucault.
• Week 8: Global Justice and Human Rights. Focus on Martha Nussbaum and current debates on humanitarian intervention.

Key Readings

Students are required to obtain the following texts. Additional articles will be provided via the course learning management system.

Assessment and Grading

Student evaluation is based on a combination of written work and oral participation. As this is a seminar, the quality of class discussions is a significant component of the final grade.

Research Paper Guidelines

The final paper must apply a theoretical framework discussed in class to a contemporary political issue. Topics in the past have included the privacy implications of state surveillance, the moral obligations of climate change policy, and the political status of refugees. Students must submit a proposal and an annotated bibliography prior to the final draft.