Poli 305: Modern Political Theory MWF 1020-1120am ETN 424

Prof. Sammy Basu TTH 930-1130am Smu 317

Course Summary

This course examines selected modern political theorists. Emphasis is placed upon evaluating the assumptions, cogency, and contemporary relevance of their philosophical systems. Topics to be addressed include human nature, ethical judgment, and the purposes of politics.

Course Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

To better understand the subfield of political philosophy/political theory

To become more familiar with a wider range of historically rooted explanatory and ethical theories of politics

To be able to utilize more sophisticated conceptualizations upon contemporary political problems

To be able to learn (teach and be taught in turn) collaboratively

Pedagogy

"Let the tutor make his charge pass everything through a sieve and lodge nothing in his head on mere authority and trust: let not Aristotle's principles be principles to him any more than those of the Stoics or Epicureans. Let this variety of ideas be set before him: he will choose if he can; if not he will remain in doubt."


Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), Essays, 'Of the education of children.'

Course Evaluation Criteria

All four components must be passed in order to complete the course:



(1) Regular participation in class discussions (25%) - to engage with the readings, and one another. You should complete assigned reading before the class. In addition to general participation, you will be assigned responsibility for leading class discussion on readings on a rotating basis throughout the semester.



If you miss class, regardless of the reason, you are required to provide a 250-word summary on the readings of the day(s) missed. To be handed in at next class.

(2) Essay paper (30%) - to write a research paper involving a modern political theorist, concept, or issue of your own choosing. 20-25 double-spaced pages (5000-7500 words) in length.

Oral presentation that makes use of New media and Information Technology.

(3) Mid-term Examination (15%) - to demonstrate your understanding of crucial themes and differences between various modern political theorists.

(4) Final Examination (30%) - to demonstrate your understanding of crucial themes and differences between various modern political theorists.

If you believe that you may have a disability requiring accommodation please contact

Disability Services, Baxter Hall, Phone: (503) 370-6471, (TT) (503) 375-5383.

Retroactive accommodation will not be possible.

Required Course Readings

It is optimal that you read and bring to class the particular editions of the books listed below. All additional readings will be made available electronically.

Kant, Immanuel. 2006. Toward Perpetual Peace and Other Writings on Politics, Peace, and History. New Haven: Yale UP.	Wollstonecraft, Mary. 2009. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. NY: W. W. Norton & Company	Hegel, G.W.H. 1991. Elements of the Philosophy of Right. NY: Cambridge UP.	Marx, Karl. 1994. Selected Writings. Indianapolis: Hackett.	Nietzsche, Friedrich. 2005. The Anti-Christ, Ecce Homo, Twilight of the Idols: And Other Writings. NY: Cambridge UP.
ISBN: 0300110707	ISBN: 0393955729	ISBN: 0521348889	ISBN: 0872202186	ISBN: 0521016886

	Course Schedule
1 Sep W	Introduction Syllabus Course webpage http://www.willamette.edu/~sbasu/poli305/P305F10Syl.htm
3 Sep F	What is political theory? What is theory? What is political philosophy? What is philosophy? What is the political?
	What was ancient and pre-modern political theory? What is modern political theory? What is modernity? Modern values… and defining, operationalizing, and reconciling them
	e.g. French Revolution Rap
	e.g. Jeremy Hoop ‘Rise Up,’
6 Sep M	Labor Day – No class, grumble, grumble … even though you haven’t even done any laboring yet.
8 Sep W	What do contemporary political theorists say political theory is about?
	Tully, James. 2002. ‘Political Philosophy as a critical activity.’ Political Theory, 30:533-55.
	Freeden, Michael. 2005. ‘What should the ‘Political’ in Political Theory explore?’ Journal of Political Philosophy, 13.2:113-134.
	Smith, Graham M. 2009. ‘Through a Glass, Darkly: The Vision and Visions of Political Theory.’ British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 11.2:360-375.
10 Sep F	Modern Times (1936), Part 1 and 3 esp (on reserve in Hatfield) Lavin, Timothy. 2009. ‘Then and Now.’ The Atlantic, Jan/Feb, pp66-67. Overview and Term Paper

Immanuel Kant 1724--1804

Toward Perpetual Peace and Other Writings on Politics, Peace, and History

13 Sep M	Kant and the History of Cosmopolitanism
	Recommended Reading
	‘Editor’s Introduction,’ ppxv-xxiv. Waldron, Jeremy. ‘Kant’s Theory of the State,’ pp.179-200
	Doyle, Michael W. ‘Kant and Liberal internationalism,’ pp.201-242
	Wood, Allen W. ‘Kant’s Philosophy of History,’ pp.243-262.
	Beck, Ulrich, 2004. “Cosmopolitical Realism: On the Distinction between Cosmopolitanism in Philosophy and the Social Sciences.” Global Networks, 4.2: 131-156.
	Dembour, Marie-Bénédicte. 2010. ‘What Are Human Rights? Four Schools of Thought.’ Human Rights Quarterly, 32.1: 1-20. Table
15 Sep W	• Do as you presume not as you say
Maxwell M Lauren P Jack N H and PP	‘Idea for a Universal History from a Cosmopolitan Perspective,’ pp.3-16. ‘An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment?,’ pp.17-23. ‘On the Common Saying: This May Be True in Theory, but It Does Not Hold in Practice,’ Parts and 3, pp. 44-66.
17 Sep F	• Peace-making, or Can’t we all just get along
Gunnar P John S. Josh W H and P	‘Toward Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch,’ pp.67-109.
20 Sep M	• Do the Right Thing
Kyle M Katie H Dan W H	‘Metaphysics of Morals, Doctrine of Right,’ S.43-62, pp.110-149. ‘Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View,’ Part 2, Section E, pp.164-176.

22 Sep W	The Contemporary Debate
Brian B Thomas W Heidi H	Harvey, David. 2000. ‘Cosmopolitanism and the Banality of Geographical Evils.’ Public Culture, 12.2: 529-564.
Tyler W Salomé C Joe H	Godrej, Farah. 2009. ‘Towards a Cosmopolitan Political Thought: The Hermeneutics of Interpreting the Other.’ Polity, 41.2: 135–165.

Mary Wollstonecraft 1759--1797

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.

24 Sep F	Wollstonecraft and the History of Feminism
	Recommended Reading
	Carolyn W. Korsmeyer. 1988. ‘Reason and Morals in the early Feminist Movement: Mary Wollstonecraft,’ in Vindication, 285-97.
	Elissa S. Guralnick. 1988. ‘Radical Politics in Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,’ in Vindication, 308-17.
	Hoffman, John. 2001. “Defining Feminism.’ Politics, 21.3: 193-200.
	Cooper, Christine M. 2007. ‘Worrying about Vaginas: Feminism and Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues".’ Signs, 32.3: 727-58.
	Quinn, Julie E. A. and H. Lorraine Radtke. 2006. ‘Dilemmatic Negotiations: The (Un)Tenability of Feminist Identity.’ Psychology of Women Quarterly, 30.2: 187-198.
27 Sep M	• Diagnosing the inferiority complex
Isabella G Gunnar P Joe H P	‘Introduction,’ pp. 3-11. ‘The Rights and Involved Duties,’ pp. 11-19. ‘Observations,’ pp. 50-77. Skim: ‘The Prevailing Opinion,’ pp. 19-49. Skim: ‘Animadversions,’ pp. 77-115.
29 Sep W	• Morality and Demoralization
Jay M Josh W Maxwell M P	‘The Effect,’ pp. 115-120. ‘Modesty,’ pp. 121-30. ‘Morality undermined,’ pp. 131-139. ‘Of the Pernicious Effects,’ pp. 140-49.
1 Oct F	• Talking about Revolution
Kyle M Heidi H Gunnar P P	‘Parental Affection,’ pp. 150-2. ‘Duty to Parents,’ pp. 152-7. ‘On National Education,’ pp. 157-78. ‘Some Instances,’ pp. 178-194.

4 Oct M	The Contemporary Debate
Lauren P Jay M Scott P	Gubar, Susan. 1994. ‘Feminist Misogyny: Mary Wollstonecraft and the Paradox of "It Takes One to Know One".’ Feminist Studies, 20.3: 452-473.
Thomas W Isabella G Tyler W	Holvino, Evangelina. 2010. ‘Intersections: The Simultaneity of Race, Gender and Class in Organization Studies,’ Gender, Work and Organization, 17.3: 248-277.

Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Hegel 1770--1831

Elements of the Philosophy of Right



6 Oct W	Hegel and the History of Communitarianism
	Recommended Reading
	http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hegel/
	‘Editor’s Introduction,’ pp. vii-xxx.
	Richard Mullender. 2003. ‘Hegel, Human Rights, and Particularism.’ Journal of Law and Society 30.4: 554–574.
8 Oct F	• Individuality
Jay M Salomé C Josh W	‘Introduction,’ ‘Abstract Right,’ pp. 9-23, 67-80, 102-6, 135-42, 185-6.
11 Oct M	• Civil Society
Kyle M Tyler W Katie H	‘Ethical Life,’ pp. 189-200, 206-7, 219-226, 250-73.
13 Oct W	• The State
Dan W Thomas W Heidi H P	‘The State,’ pp. 275-313, 328-9, 355, 359-71.

15 Oct F	The Contemporary Debate
Jack N Lauren P John S	Schmidt am Busch, Hans-Christoph. 2008. ‘Personal Respect, Private Property, And Market Economy: What Critical Theory Can Learn From Hegel.’ Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 11: 573-586.
Brian B Joe H Salomé C	Katz, Claire. 2008. ‘"The Eternal Irony of the Community": Prophecy, Patriotism, and the Dixie Chicks.’ Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies, Vol. 26 Issue 4, p139-160 - yt and yt and yt

18 Oct M	Review!
20 Oct W	Mid-Term Exam
22 Oct F	No Class: Mid-semester Day

Karl Heinrich Marx 1518--1883

Selected Writings 


25 Oct M	Marx and the History of Socialism
	Recommended Reading
	‘Introduction,’ pp. ix-xxxv
	Hayek, Friedrich, 1976. 'Socialism and Science.' IPA Review, 87-96. See also youtube.
	Tsolakis, Andreas. 2010. ‘Opening Up Open Marxist Theories of the State: A Historical Materialist Critique.’ The British Journal of Politics & International Relations, 12.3: 387–407.
27 Oct W	• Rebel Yell
Brian B Salomé C Isabella G P	Part I: Early Philosophical Writings ‘On the Jewish Question,’ pp.1-6 ‘Toward a Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right: Introduction,’ pp.27-39 Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts (selections), pp54-97. ‘Theses on Feuerbach,’ pp.98-101
29 Oct F	• Think historically, Act Immediately
John S Dan W Heidi H Jay M P	Part II: Writings on Historical Materialism The German Ideology, Part I (selections), pp.102-156 The Communist Manifesto, pp.157-186 The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (selections), pp.187:208
1 Nov M	• Money makes the world go around
Lauren P Tyler W Joe H P	Part III: Economic Writings, pp.214-300

	The Contemporary Debate
3 Nov W
Gunnar P John S Isabella G	Booth, William James. 1989. ‘Gone Fishing: Making Sense of Marx's Concept of Communism.’ Political Theory. Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 205-222.
Scott P Maxwell M	Tralau, Johan. 2005. ‘The Effaced Self in the Utopia of the Young Karl Marx.’ European Journal of Political Theory, 4:393-412.
5 Nov F
Jack N Josh W Scott P	Burnham, Peter. 2010. ‘Class, Capital and Crisis: A Return to Fundamentals.’ Political Studies Review, 8.1: 27-39.
Kyle M Brian B	Krygier, Martin. 1990. ‘Marxism and the Rule of Law: Reflections after the Collapse of Communism.’ Law & Social Inquiry, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 633-663
	OECD on Growing Unequal (2008) Nativism and Tea-Party Immigration and the Prison Industry Myth of the American Dream US Federal Tax Dollars

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche 1844--1900

Selected Writings

8 Nov M	Nietzsche and the History of Postmodernism
	Recommended Reading
	‘Introduction,’ pp.vii-xxxiv.
	Pippin, Robert B. 2006. ‘Nietzsche’s alleged farewell: The premodern, modern, and postmodern Nietzsche,’ in pp.252-278.
	Rolfe, Gary. 2001. ‘Postmodernism for healthcare workers in 13 easy steps.’ Nurse Education Today, 21.1: 38-47.
10 Nov W	• What would Jesus do?
Maxwell M Katie H Salomé C	The Anti-Christ: A Curse on Christianity, pp.1-67
12 Nov F	• Be all that you can be …
Tyler W Brian B Jay M Jack N P	Ecce Homo: How to Become What You Are, pp.69-151
15 Nov M	• Home Improvement
Maxwell M Kyle M Katie H	Twilight of the Idols: or How to Philosophize with a Hammer, pp.153-229

	The Contemporary Debate
17 Nov W
Gunnar P Dan W Heidi H	Hatab, Lawrence J., 2002. ‘Prospects for a Democratic Agon : Why We Can Still Be Nietzscheans.’The Journal of Nietzsche Studies, 24: 132-147.
Thomas W Scott P Katie H	Gemes, Ken. 2001. ‘Postmodernism’s Use and Abuse of Nietzsche,’ Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 62.2: 337-360.
19 Nov F
Thomas W Josh W Isabella G	Kirkland, Paul E. 2010. ‘Nietzsche's Tragic Realism.’ Review of Politics, 72: 55-78.
Jack N John S Joe H	Wenger, Morton G. 1994. ‘Idealism Redux: The Class-Historical Truth of Postmodernism.’ Critical Sociology 20: 53-78.

22 Nov M	Which philosopher, whose ‘ism?
24 Nov W	Presentation Technologies – or, turning your paper into a cyborg
	a. Ahead b. Google docs c. Prezi d. 280 slides e. Voicethread f. Wix
26 Nov F	No Class: Thanksgiving
29 Nov M	Student presentations TBA
	Salomé C – Cosmopolitanism or Communitarianism v the Other
	Maxwell M - An American Antihero: Democracy’s desire for Dexter’s decadence
	Tyler W – Warring Worldviews: polarization in American politics
1 Dec W	Student presentations TBA
	Heidi H – Matrons of Death
	Jack N – Useless Tea-bagging: The Misdirected anger of the Tea party movement
	Josh W – Hegel and Google: The end of history?
	Joe H – Apple – The Workings of International Political Economy
3 Dec F	Student presentations TBA
	Kyle M – What is the real Alaska?
	Isabella G – The Fourth Coming?: Gauging “Post”feminism
	Johnathan S – Marx and Stirner: Why are you poor and what can they do about it?
6 Dec M	Student presentations
	Katie H – Can Homeschooling fit in a Democracy?
8 Dec W	Student presentations
	Gunnar P – Salman Rushdie’s Shame: Cosmopolitanism necessitates Feminism
	Jay M – Reproductive Liberty and Overpopulation – the logical demise of capitalism
	Lauren P - Are We There Yet?: the myth of post-feminism in the 2008 Presidential election
10 Dec F	Student presentations
	Scott P – Someone has Mommy Issues
	Brian B – no go
	Dan W – no go
	Tom W – Heidegger and Feminism
13 Dec M	Final Draft of Paper – in WISE by 10am
16 Dec Th	Final Exam 8-11 am Smullin B17