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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 210-1"
COURSE NAME: "Introduction to Political Theory"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2014
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Tom Bailey
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8-10 am and 4.30-6 pm, or by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will introduce you to the fundamental ideas and arguments of political theory, show you how they can be used to engage with contemporary political issues, and allow you to develop your own views and arguments about these ideas and issues. Our focus will be on the different ways that the crucial ideas of freedom, equality, democracy, and authority are conceived of and argued over in theories of the ‘just’ society, and how they illuminate, and are illuminated by, such issues as healthcare reform, the Occupy movement, climate change, drug control, war, and terrorism. By reading extracts from important modern and contemporary theorists’ writings, supported by various secondary materials, and by discussing them extensively in class, online and in written assignments, we will develop your familiarity with the ideas and arguments involved and your ability to discuss, reflect on and defend your own views of these fascinating ideas and questions.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course is divided into three parts, after each of which you will prepare a written assignment. We will first study the opposing ways in which Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau conceive of and argue for the ‘social contract’, exploring their ideas of authority, security, freedom, property, equality, and democracy. We will then consider how these ideas are extended and criticized by Mill, with his emphasis on individual freedom and his feminism, Marx, with his communist criticisms of capitalism and liberalism, and Kant, with his cosmopolitan vision of global politics. Finally, we will focus on four more specific political topics – equality, freedoms, religion, and war – considering each one both from theoretical perspectives and in terms of the concrete political issues that it raises.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of the course, you will be able to:
• glean meaning from canonical texts in modern political theory and relevant contemporary readings;
• explain the theoretical positions and arguments involved;
• discuss the interpretation and evaluation of these positions and arguments;
• explain and analyze relevant political issues, along with specific positions and arguments regarding them;
• develop your own reasoned views of the theoretical and political issues raised;
• make appropriate use of secondary academic resources and do guided research work;
• do all this in appropriately academic oral and written forms and in individual and group contexts.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Class participationClasses will involve a mixture of lecturing, seminar discussions, group presentations, and other activities. The emphasis will be on helping you to develop your own and others’ opinions and arguments and your ability to discuss them with others, as well as your understanding of the readings and the positions and arguments presented in them. Your active involvement in discussions and other class activities, based on adequate preparation outside class, is therefore essential. I will give you a percentage grade for each class, and the average of these grades will constitute your final participation grade. Your grades will be based on how sophisticated an understanding and analysis of the relevant materials you display, how clearly and attentively you respond to what I and others say, and how critically and thoroughly you show that you reflect on the issues raised. So, if you show an understanding of and engagement with the materials, contribute actively and collaboratively to class activities, and reflect actively on the issues raised, then you will receive an ‘A’ grade for the class. You will receive a ‘B’ grade if you show an understanding of the basics of the materials, while contributing rarely or only when called upon and providing little thoughtful analysis. A ‘C’ grade or lower will indicate an unsatisfactory lack of preparation, attention and/or thought. 25%
Forum contributionsSince the online class forum is intended to allow for free discussion, I will not assess the content of your posts. Your grade for this assessment will be simply the percentage of times that you post on time, out of the possible total posts. You may also miss up to two posts unexcused without this affecting your grade – I will just reduce the number of possible total posts accordingly when calculating your grade. 10%
Three written assignmentsThe three written assignments will be ‘take-home’ assignments of 1800-2000 words. For each assignment, I will give you a set of questions from which to choose on the Thursday of the week before it is due, although you may also agree an alternative question with me. The assignment will be due a week later, after the review classes. 25% of the final grade will be given to the best of the three assignments, and 20% for each of the other two.25 / 20%

-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:

A maximum of two unexcused absences from class will be accepted. Beyond this, a zero grade will be given for each unexcused absence, bringing your average grade down. It is your responsibility to inform me if you miss or cannot participate fully in a class for a good reason. Good reasons include illness, unavoidable appointments and transport strikes, but not trips, guests and malfunctioning alarm clocks. Note that arriving late to class, leaving for lengthy ‘toilet breaks’ and using a laptop or mobile phone in class also count as ‘unexcused absences’.
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

Week 1:

Tuesday: Introduction to the course

Thursday: Shipwrecked                                                                

                                   

The social contract 
                                                    
        

Week 2: Hobbes on authority                                                                       

Tuesday: ‘Solitary, poor, nasty...’: Life in a state of nature

Thursday: Absolute authority? Hobbes on government

 

Week 3: Locke and liberalism                                                       

Tuesday: Property and democracy

Thursday: Religion and toleration

 

Week 4: Rousseau’s democratic contract

Tuesday: Inequality, domination and the problem of freedom             

Thursday: The ‘general will’: Democratic or totalitarian?

 

Week 5:

Preparation of first written assignment

 

Criticisms and extensions

 

Week 6: Mill on freedom                                                                             

Tuesday: Individual freedom and not harming others

Thursday: Mill’s feminism

 

Week 7: Marx’s communist critique

Tuesday: Capitalism and communism

Thursday: Marx’s critique of liberalism

 

Week 8: Kant’s cosmopolitanism                                                                 

Tuesday: Kant’s vision of perpetual peace

Thursday: Global poverty and global democracy

 

Week 9:                     

Preparation of second written assignment

 

Topics in politics

 

Week 10: Equality                                                                                       

Tuesday: Equality of what? Rawls on equal opportunity and redistribution

Thursday: Climate equality

 

Week 11: Freedoms

Tuesday: Paternalism and harm

Thursday: Which freedoms? Surveillance, gay marriage, prostitution, and drugs

 

Week 12: Religion

Tuesday: Religion in politics? Rawls vs. the inclusivists

Thursday: Political Catholicism and Islam

 

Week 13: War and terrorism                                                                     

Tuesday: Terrorism, torture and preventive war

Thursday: Humanitarian interventions

           

Week 14:

Preparation of final written assignment