BHUM 16A01 - Classical texts in political Theory

COURSE DESCRIPTION

What is politics? What does it mean to live freely? What is a just society? Under what conditions can power be legitimate? The first-year course in political theory and philosophy at the Undergraduate College proposes to examine classical theories — from Aristotle to Arendt — and to show how they help illuminate our present.

This course is thus conceived as a plural history of political thought based on a number of essential texts. As a workshop for reading and collective reflection in small groups, it aims to provide all students with a solid theoretical grounding in the fundamental concepts of political thought (rights, state, power, justice, freedom, etc.), approached through so-called “classical” texts.

ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS

This course is first and foremost intended as a place for reading, a return to the text, in a context where book culture among younger generations is on the decline. The exercises in critical reading and writing proposed within this course therefore constitute its primary pedagogical objective.

On the intellectual level, through the richness of the readings offered, the course aims to open students up to the plurality of worlds and theoretical traditions in political thought, by providing an intellectual foundation to support the diversity of studies offered within the Undergraduate College.

The response to these two challenges will consist in constructing a course that offers students situated thought experiments, inviting them to engage in different modes of critical reading and expression.

TEXTS COVERED

12 texts are covered during the course. The 8 texts common to all campuses are the following:

● Plato, The Republic (tr. A. Bloom), Books I (343c–e) and IV (427d–435d) – the question of justice.

● Aristotle, Politics (tr. C.D.C. Reeves), Books I and III – citizenship.

● Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince (tr. J.B. Hatkinson), chapters XVII, XVIII, XIX and XXV – power and freedom.

● Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters XIII and XVII – theories of the social contract (2 sessions for 3 authors).

● John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, chapters II, V, VII, VIII and IX – theories of the social contract (2 sessions for 3 authors).

● Jean-Jacques Rousseau, On the Social Contract (tr. C. Betts), Book I, chapters I to VIII – theories of the social contract (2 sessions for 3 authors).

● Immanuel Kant, What Is Enlightenment? (tr. D.L. Colclasure) – the Enlightenment project.

● Karl Marx, Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 (2nd notebook) and Theses on Feuerbach – emancipation.

● Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition, "Prologue" and chapter 5 "Action" (first three parts).

Four supplementary texts are selected by each instructor and may therefore vary by campus and instructors. The final selection will be communicated to you by the instructor in charge of the course before your first session.

Assessment of weekly readings 25%

To encourage regular and active reading of the texts, students will be required to submit homework on a regular basis (reading notes, summaries, detailed outlines, text analysis, etc.). Two or three submissions may be graded during the semester.

In-class presentation 25%

This assessment will focus either on a complementary text from the syllabus, used to “update” or contextualize the work studied in class (e.g., a contemporary reader, a radio excerpt, etc.), or on a contemporary issue, showing how a concept or theory studied in class can help deepen our understanding of it. These presentations (which dates are set at the beginning of the semester) may be conducted in groups and can take various forms (group presentation, podcast, etc.). They are intended to enrich students’ participation during class discussions.

Written exam: text analysis 50%

A two-hour written exam, to be held outside of class sessions (week 9, give or take a week) will focus on one of the texts in the syllabus. It will assess both the knowledge acquired and students’ ability to analyze a philosophical text.