BHUM 17A38 - Social Contract and Contemporary Readings

This class offers an examination of the theory of the social contract within the tradition of political philosophy and theory. Beginning with the modern theories of authors such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, the course traces the development of social contract theory through contemporary interpretations as the one offerd by Johan Rawls and engages with recent critiques of social contract theory. Authors such as Charles W. Mills (The Racial Contract) and Carole Pateman (The Sexual Contract) challenge traditional notions of contractualism by examining its intersections with race, gender, and other forms of power dynamics oppression. Through close readings and critical analysis, students will explore how these foundational ideas continue to shape contemporary political thought and examine the complexities and limitations of social contract theory in addressing contemporary social and political issues.

María-victoria LONDONO-BECERRA

Séminaire

English

ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS Students will be expected to spend at least 2 but no more than 3 hours working outside of class for each 1 hour spent in class (2:1 ratio). Although this class will introduce students to a wide range of texts and authors, the weekly readings will be kept relatively short (30– 50 pages/class) to encourage comprehension and active engagement. REQUIRED TEXTS All required readings, which are listed in the schedule below, will be posted on Moodle. You should have your text available to reference during class meetings. ABOUT THE READINGS This intellectually challenging course demands careful and consistent reading, active engagement, and an open and curious attitude. You are not expected to agree with anything we read, but you are expected to earnestly engage with each text and grapple with its ideas to the best of your ability. Read slowly and carefully and utilize any reading techniques you may find useful (annotation, note-taking, etc.). If time permits, read texts more than once. Above all, be patient with yourself; reading texts like these takes practice.

Autumn and Spring 2024-2025

SESSIONS AND DETAILED OUTLINE This seminar is designed to be discussion-oriented. Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions and group projects. Each session will be divided into three parts. The first segment will ask students to discussing in small groups some questions related to the assigned reading for that session. The segment segment of the class will focus on the reconstruction, discussion, and analysis of the text. 1. Introduction to the course. Syllabus, assignments, and expectations. 2. Modern Social Contract Theory – Hobbes: Humans as Mechanisms; Our Natural State; Rights and Freedoms Leviathan, The Rights of the Sovereign and the Rights of Subjects, Laws, crimes, punishments, sovereign power. - Leviathan, “Introduction” (Hobbes's, not the editor's: p. 3-5) - Leviathan, chapters vi; xiii-xxi - Leviathan, chapters, xxiv; xxvi-xxix 3. Modern Social Contract Theory – Locke: The Divine Right of Kings and the State of Nature, the Political State, The Extent of Sovereign Power. - Locke, Two Treatises, Bk I, Chapters I-II; Bk II, Chapters I-3 - Locke, Second Treatise, Bk II, Chapters V; VII-IX - Locke, Second Treatise, Book II, Chapters XI; XV; XVIII-XIX 4. Social Contract Theory: Rousseau (The origin of Inequalities, State of nature) - Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (Second Discourse), Part I and Part II. 5. Early Modern Social Contract Theory: Rousseau (The State of Nature and the formation of Political Society, The General Will, Sovereign Authority, Political Participation and the Health of the State) - Rousseau, On the Social Contract, Book I - Rousseau, On the Social Contract, Book II; 1-4, 6; - Rousseau, On the Social Contract, Book III, 9-14 - Rousseau, On the Social Contract, Book IV; 1-3; 6-9 SYLLABUS 6. Social Contract and Contractualism, Contractualism: What is it? - Harro Hopfl and Matyn P. Thompson “The History of Contract as a Motif in Political Thought,” in The American Historical Review, Vol. 84, No. 4 (Oct., 1979), pp. 919-944. Optional Readings: - David Gauthier, “The Social Contract as Ideology,” in Philosophy & Public Affairs, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Winter, 1977), pp. 130-164. 7. Scanlon's Contractualism: Do Promises Require Practices? - M. Scanlon, What We Owe to Each Other (1998), 189–247, 295-317. Optional readings: - Kolodny and Wallace, “Promises and Practices Revisited,” Philosophy & Public Affairs 31 (2003), pp. 119–154. 8. Contractualism – Rawls: Political Liberalism, The Veil of Ignorance. - Rawls, ‘Justice as fairness: political not metaphysical,' and ‘The idea of an overlapping consensus,' in Collected Papers ed. Samuel Freeman (1999) - Rawls, A Theory of Justice, Revised Edition (1999), section 1–4, 9, 20–25, 10–11 Optional Readings: - T.M. Scanlon, “Rawls on Justification,” in The Cambridge Companion to Rawls (2003). 9. Critical Perspectives: The Contract and Domination. - Carole Pateman and Charles Mills, Contract and Social Change A Dialogue between Carole Pateman and Charles W. Mills (selection) - Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, “Introduction“ and (selection) - Minique Wittig, “The Social Contract” in The Straight Mind and Other Essays. (selection) - 10. Critical Perspectives: Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract (1988). - Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, “Introduction“ (selection) - Carole Pateman, “Contracting In” and “Patriarchal Confusions” in The Sexual Contract 11. Critical Perspectives: Charles W. Mills. The Racial Contract (1998). - Charles W. Mills. “The Racial Contract is political, moral and epistemological,” “The Racial Contract is a historical actuality,” and “The Racial Contract is an exploitation contract” in The Racial Contract - 12. Final discussion.