POL200Y1Y L5101
Political Theory: Visions of the Just/Good Society
Themes
The Faculty of Arts and Science have decided that all Summer 2020 F and Y courses will be offered remotely rather than in person. A final determination of the delivery mode for S courses will be made by June 13.
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This course will introduce students to some of the most important texts in the Western tradition of political thought, namely, Plato’s Republic, Aristotle’s Politics, Machiavelli’s Prince (and Discourses), Hobbes’s Leviathan, and Locke’s Second Treatise. Through a careful reading of these foundational and canonical texts, we will compare and contrast their competing visions of political life, as well as explore central themes of both ancient and modern political thought, such as justice, politics, democracy, power, liberty, war, peace, gender, religion, obedience, sovereignty, state, society, property, and so on. By the end of the course, students should be able to articulate an elaborate account of these works, acquire new knowledge of the historical and intellectual context of the period covered, and develop their reflective, argumentative, and writing skills.
Texts
Plato. The Republic. Trans. G.M.A. Grube ed. C.D.C. Reeve. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 1992.
Aristotle. Politics. 2nd edition, Ed. C. Lord. Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2013.
Machiavelli. Selected Political Writings. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1994.
Hobbes. Leviathan. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1994.
Locke. Second Treatise of Government. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1980.
It is strongly recommended that you consult the editions listed above; otherwise, you will run into differences in translation which could lead to certain confusion in class and group discussion.
Format and Requirements
Attendance and Participation (10%), First Essay (20%) Comparative Essay (30%), final exam (40%).