Political Theory Courses (POL THRY)
Courses
POL THRY 1050. Introduction to Political Theory: Freedom, Justice and Power — 3 hrs.
A good politics is guided by ideals such as freedom and justice. But what do those words mean? How does power operate--either to promote or to prevent the achievement of freedom and justice for all people? Readings range from the ancient world to the contemporary, including thinkers such as Socrates, J.S. Mill, Martin Luther King Jr., and bell hooks. (Fall and Spring)
POL THRY 3129. American Political Thought — 3 hrs.
Political ideals have shaped the political institutions, practices, and culture of the U.S., even though our ideals of democracy and freedom have conflicted with realities of exclusion and slavery, and the "American Dream" has at times been undermined by inequality of opportunity. This course explores these tensions, analyzing works of foundational thinkers such as Madison and Jefferson, as well as thinkers aiming to deepen our democracy in the centuries since the founding. (Variable)
POL THRY 3160. Classical Political Theory — 3 hrs.
The nature of justice, arguments for and against democracy, the foundations of political knowledge, and the nature of political communities, as understood by the thinkers of classical Greece. (Variable)
POL THRY 3161. Modern Political Theory — 3 hrs.
Western political thought from Machiavelli to Nietzsche, including the philosophical foundations for the American system of government (liberal and civic republican thought). (Variable)
POL THRY 3162. Power: Political Theories & Applications — 3 hrs.
This course explores contemporary theories of power and their relationships to political events and movements of the 20th and 21st centuries. Students will complete projects to build their familiarity with a particular set of theories and the ways in which those theories respond to or inspire social and political events - from government-sponsored injustices to liberation movements. This course will enable students to develop their capacities for making reasoned judgments about politics and using theory as a tool to develop political meanings that go beyond ideology. (Variable)