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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 310"
COURSE NAME: "Modern Political Theory"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2014
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Lars Rensmann
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Recommended: PL 210
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course offers a largely chronological and systematic survey of, and it will introduce students to, key modern & contemporary political thinkers and their contributions to political theory.  Though each is taking a different focus, all authors provide ‘modern’ versions of political thought that confront the ‘modern condition’, the modern state,  and (global) politics in sociological, philosophical and political terms. In their own distinct ways, they analyze, criticize, unpack  and/or justify such key concepts as power, political order, modernity, rationalism, political violence, community, democracy, sovereignty, justice, legitimacy, plurality, difference, and the rule of law. The goal is a basic understanding of the work of the most influential modern and contemporary political theorists, the concepts they propose, and the problems they face.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The class covers a wide range of different European, American and African thinkers shaping political philosophy and political theory from the 18th to the 21st century, including Edmund Burke, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Carl Schmitt, Antonio Gramsci, Hannah Arendt, Frantz Fanon, Herbert Marcuse, Michel Foucault, John Rawls, Michael Walzer, Jürgen Habermas and Seyla Benhabib. The course examines the way these thinkers appropriate traditions of political thought, providing their own vocabularies to understand the modern world.  The contributions by these thinkers and theorists are deeply embedded not only in the history of political thought but also in the politico-historical context in which they are writing. Familiarity with both the history of the 20th century and basic knowledge of the history of pre-20th century political thought is helpful, though not obligatory.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The course intends to familiarize students with modern political theorizing and the various resources and traditions it draws from, as well as the multiple political problems and challenges it seeks to cope with in modern politics. The objective of this course is not simply to give you an overview of canonic twentieth-century political theory, and introduce into the key arguments made by 20th century political theorists; that too. More importantly, however, this course teaches you to make sense of, interpret, and evaluate the propositions and arguments that influential 20th century and contemporary thinkers offer, and the conflicts and crises they respond to. The course should broaden your understanding of some of the central concepts, terms,  issues and approaches shaping modern political theory.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Crises of the RepublicHannah ArendtHarvest978-0156232005     
Black Skin, White MasksFrantz FanonGrove Press978-0802143006     
Modern PrinceAntonio GramsciInternational Publishers978-0717801336     
Justice as FairnessJohn RawlsBelknap Press978-0674005112     
The Concept of the PoliticalCarl SchmittUniversity of Chicago Press978-0226738925     
The Vocation LecturesMax WeberHackett978-0872206656978-0872206656    
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
In-Class midterm exam, questions and written answersLate mid-term covering classical modern political theories30%
Term research paper, 7 – 9 pagesMeeting with Professor, Outline, Draft, Final Paper40%
Two reading reflectionsDemonstrating grasp of readings and critical reflection of theories20%
Participation & oral presentationAttendance, participation, and short in-class presentation10%

-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 is mandatory.  Please inform me about any absences. Please refer to the above notes and the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.

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

January 14: Introduction of the Course: To What End Do We Study Modern Political Thought?
Readings: None

MODERN REPUBLICANISM, CONSERVATISM, LIBERALISM, AND SOCIALISM

January 16: Modern Political Thought and Republicanism after Montesquieu and Kant: Contract Theory, Law, and Politics
Readings: None

January 21: Modern Conservatism and Community: Edmund Burke (Burke vs. Mill, Part I)
Readings: Edmund Burke, On the Revolution in France

January 23: Modern Liberalism, Liberty, and Individual Rights: John Stuart Mill (Burke vs. Mill, Part II)
Readings: John Stuart Mill, On Liberty (Excerpts)

January 28: Socialism and Communism: Karl Marx
Readings: Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto

MAX WEBER AND KEY ISSUES OF POLITICAL MODERNITY AND
20TH CENTURY POLITICAL THEORY

January 30: Max Weber – Political Modernity and Vocations I
Readings: Max Weber, “Politics as Vocation”, pp.32-94
FIRST READING REFLECTION DUE.

February 4: Max Weber – Political Modernity and Vocations II
Readings: Max Weber, “Science as Vocation”, pp.1-31

MODERN CHALLENGES: TOTALITARIANISM, COLONIALISM, POWER, AND VIOLENCE

February 6: Carl Schmitt – Of Sovereignty and Enemies I  
Readings: Carl Schmitt, The Concept of the Political [1932], pp.19-45

February 11: Carl Schmitt – Of Sovereignty and Enemies II  
Readings: Carl Schmitt, The Concept of the Political [1932], pp.45-79

February 13: Antonio Gramsci – Hegemony and the Modern Prince
Readings: Antonio Gramsci, The Modern Prince, pp.58-89, 118-125;

February 18: Antonio Gramsci – Hegemony and the Modern Prince
Readings: Antonio Gramsci, The Modern Prince, pp.135-153, 181-188

February 20: Hannah Arendt – The Totalitarian Experience and the Modern Banality of Evil
Readings: Hannah Arendt, Origins of Totalitarianism, pp.460-479; Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem, pp.21-55.

February 25: Hannah Arendt – Action, Power, and Violence under Modern Conditions
Readings: Hannah Arendt, “On Violence,” in Arendt, Crises of the Republic, Sections 1 & 2, pp.105-155.

February 27: Hannah Arendt – Action, Power, and Violence under Modern Conditions
Readings: Hannah Arendt, “On Violence,” in Arendt, Crises of the Republic, Sections 3 & 4, pp.156-198.

March 4: Frantz Fanon – Colonialism, Post-Colonialism, Power and Violence
Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks [1952], Introduction & Chapters 1-3, pp.9-81; Chapter 8, pp.223-232.

March 6: Frantz Fanon – Colonialism, Post-Colonialism, Power and Violence
Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks [1952], Introduction & Chapters 1-3, pp.9-81; Chapter 8, pp.223-232.

MODERN RATIONALISM AND ITS CRITIQUE: CONSERVATIVE AND RADICAL

March 11: Michael Oakeshott, the Critique of Modern Rationalism, and the Case for Conservative Libertarianism
Readings: Michael Oakeshott, Rationalism in Politics and Other Essays (Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund, 1991 [1962]), chapter 1, pp.5-42.

March 13: IN-CLASS EXAMINATION

***SPRING BREAK***

March 25: Herbert Marcuse and the Critique of Modern Consumer Society
Readings: Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man (Boston: Beacon Press, 1964), pp.1-35, 247-257.

March 27: Herbert Marcuse, the Modern Liberal Order, and the Concept of “Repressive Tolerance”
Readings: Marcuse, “Repressive Tolerance,” in Robert Paul Wolf, Barrington Moore, Jr., and Herbert Marcuse, A Critique of Pure Tolerance (Boston: Beacon Press, [1965/1969] 1969), pp.81-123.
SECOND READING REFLECTION DUE.

April 1: Michel Foucault and the Critique of Modern Power
Readings: Michel Foucault, “Truth and Power,” in Foucault, Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and other Writings (New York: Pantheon, [1977] 1980), pp.109-133.

RETHINKING LIBERALISM, COMMUNITARIANISM, DELIBERATION: MODELS OF DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE

April 3: John Rawls and the Reconstruction of Liberalism I
Readings: John Rawls, Justice as Fairness: A Restatement (Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press, 2001), Chapter 1, pp.1-38.

April 8: John Rawls and the Reconstruction of Liberalism II
Readings: John Rawls, Justice as Fairness: A Restatement, Chapter 2, pp.39-79.

April 10: Michael Walzer and Communitarianism
Readings: Michael Walzer, “The Communitarian Critique of Liberalism,” Political Theory 18, 1 (1990), pp.6-23.

COSMOPOLITANISM AND GLOBAL CHALLENGES

April 15: Jürgen Habermas – Discourse Ethics and Deliberative Democracy
Readings: Jürgen Habermas, “Three Normative Models of Democracy,” in Habermas, The Inclusion of the Other: Studies in Political Theory (Cambridge: Polity, 1998), pp.239-252.

April 17: NO CLASS: Make-up TBD. (Western Political Science Association)

April 22: Jürgen Habermas – Cosmopolitan Democracy and Global Constitutionalism
Readings: Jürgen Habermas: “Kant’s Idea of Perpetual Peace: At Two Hundred Years’ Historical Remote,” in Habermas, The Inclusion of the Other: Studies in Political Theory (Cambridge: Polity, 1998), pp.165-201
Additional Readings: Lars Rensmann, “Back to Kant? The Democratic Deficit of Habermas' Global Constitutionalism,” in Tom Bailey, ed., Deprovincializing Habermas: Global Perspectives (New Dehli and New York: Routledge, 2013).

April 24: Rethinking Cosmopolitanism and Human Rights, Reconstructing Philosophical Traditions: Seyla Benhabib and Beyond
Readings: Seyla Benhabib, “The Philosophical Foundations of Cosmopolitan Norms,” in Benhabib, Another Cosmopolitanism (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp.13-44; Cosmopolitanism from Below after Arendt and Adorno
Readings: Lars Rensmann, “Grounding Cosmopolitics: Rethinking Crimes against Humanity and Global Political Theory with Arendt and Adorno”
TERM PAPER DUE.

April 26-May 2: Final Exam (Look for Announcements)