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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 210-1"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Political Theory"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Andrea Moudarres
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
An introduction to the history of political thought, from Ancient Greece to the 19th century. Through a close reading of selected canonical texts, students will examine the evolution of ideas about democracy, liberty, equality, justice, political authority, the social contract, different conceptions of human nature and the role of the individual in society. The theorists examined may include Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, de Tocqueville and John Stuart Mill.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
An introduction to the history of political thought, from Ancient Greece to the 19th century. Through a close reading of selected canonical texts, students will examine the evolution of ideas about democracy, liberty, equality, justice, political authority, the social contract, different conceptions of human nature and the role of the individual in society. The theorists examined may include Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, de Tocqueville and John Stuart Mill.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

•Understanding of the evolution of ideas about justice, liberty, and the role of the state, in light of different views of human nature and the role of the individual in society.
•Ability to make a cogent written argument interpreting and comparing basic texts in the history of political theory.
•Ability to apply basic arguments in the history of political theory to analyze contemporary political issues.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
ParticipationRegular, thoughtful and prepared contribution to the class discussion and review sessions and active listening to others.20
Weekly CommentsStudents must write a (roughly) 250-word response to the weekly readings. Each response must be posted on the course website (Moodle) by Tuesday, 11:59PM.15
Midterm ExamIn-class short-essay questions on Wednesday, October 23.20
Presentation15-minute class presentation on one primary text. Using the same text, each presenter will also lead the class discussion, moderating questions and answers.15
Final ExamEssay exam (date TBD) during the final exam period.30

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Calendar

 

Week 1 Introduction to the course:

 

September 2: What is political theory?

 

September 4: Aristotle, Politics (Book 1) https://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/politics.html; Augustine, City of God (Book 15.1-8) https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/120115.htm

 

Week 2 Antiquity

 

September 9: Plato, Republic (Books 1-2) https://www.platonicfoundation.org/translation/republic/republic-book-1/

 

September 11: Plato, Republic (Book 4)

 

Week 3

 

September 16: Plato, Republic (Book 8-9)

 

September 18: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (Book 5) https://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.html

 

Week 4

 

September 23: Aristotle, Politics (Book 3)

 

September 25: Cicero, On Duties (Book 1) https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cicero/de_Officiis/1A*.html

 

Week 5

 

September 30: Cicero, On Duties (Book 1)

 

October 2: Seneca, On Clemency https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Of_Clemency

 

Week 6 Middle Ages and Renaissance

 

October 7: Aquinas, On Kingship (Book 1) https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/DeRegno.htm; Giles of Rome, On the Rule of Princes (selections)

 

October 9: Salutati, On Tyranny

 

Week 7

 

October 14: Christine de Pizan, The Book of the City of Ladies (selections) https://www.docdroid.net/lFahHSo/the-book-of-the-city-of-ladies-by-christine-de-pizan-earl-jeffrey-richards-transl-z-liborg-pdf

 

October 16: Christine de Pizan, The Book of the City of Ladies (selections)

 

Week 8

 

October 21: Midterm Review

 

October 23: Midterm

 

Week 9

 

October 28: Machiavelli, The Prince (Prologue and Chapters 1-7) https://apeiron.iulm.it/retrieve/handle/10808/4129/46589/Machiavelli%2C%20The%20Prince

 

October 30: Machiavelli, The Prince (Chapters 8-18)

 

Week 10

 

November 4: Machiavelli, Discourses on Livy (Book 1.9-10, 1.18, and 1.34) https://identityhunters.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/niccolo-machiavelli-discourses-of-livy.pdf

 

November 6: Machiavelli, The Prince (Chapters 19-26)

 

Week 11 Early Modernity

 

November 11: Hobbes, Leviathan http://files.libertyfund.org/files/869/0161_Bk.pdf

 

November 13: Hobbes, Leviathan

 

Week 12

 

November 18: Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/125494/5019_Rousseau_Discourse_on_the_Origin_of_Inequality.pdf

 

November 20: Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality

 

Week 13

 

November 25: Marx and Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/download/pdf/Manifesto.pdf

 

November 27: Marx and Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party

 

Week 14

 

December 2: Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality (selections) https://philosophy.ucsc.edu/news-events/colloquia-conferences/GeneologyofMorals

 

December 4: Final Review