Eric S. Nelson: Introduction to Political Philosophy Syllabus

Spring 2006: Introduction to Political Philosophy 45.206 201 MWF 10-30-11:20am
Professor Eric Sean Nelson Email: esnel at yahoo.com
Office: Olney 101b Telephone: 978-934-3996
Spring Office Hours: MW 12:15-1:15, 3-5 and by appointment
Homepage: http://faculty.uml.edu/enelson/index.html

Course Description
Political philosophy is concerned with basic questions about community, public life, and social organization. This course will address issues such as the rights of the individual in relation to the power of the state and society; the nature and legitimacy of political authority and democracy; the significance of power, economics, justice and equality in social life; and the duties and responsibilities of citizens. We will also consider the role of class, race, and gender in politics.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. 20% of the final grade will depend on Attendance and Participation. Missing classes and not participating in class and group discussions will result in a lower grade. There will be oral and written, individual and group, in-class assignments and take-home assignments based on the readings and class-discussion.

2. 80% of the final grade will depend on Four Assignments: the first and third will be (in-class and take-home) exams (40%), the second and fourth assignments will be 4-6 page papers (40%). Grading will be based on (1) knowing the texts, my analysis and our discussions of them; (2) being able to make your own arguments and interpretations.

Need help? Feel free to talk with me after class, during office hours, or by arrangement. Also check out the following resource: Guide to the Study of Philosophy, http://www.philosophypages.com/sy.htm

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
1. Professionalism: students are required to adopt a professional attitude toward class conduct and fellow students. Please be on time and leave when the class is over. Please do not engage in discussions that are unrelated to class material and distract your fellow students. Cell phones and pagers should be turned off and calls should be taken after class is over except in cases of extreme emergency such as imminent mortality or imprisonment.
2. Work should be done on time. Late or missed work will be penalized by being lowered a whole grade for each day. Missed in-class assignments cannot be made up because they are part of the attendance/participation grade which requires that you attend class.
3. Attendance is mandatory and not an option. Students who do not regularly attend class will be dropped or receive an F.
4. You are expected to keep up with the reading and participate in class discussions. Consistent failure to keep up with the readings will seriously compromise your ability to succeed.
5. If you have any suggestions, questions, problems, or concerns, feel free to talk with me after class or during my office visiting hours. I am available at other times by appointment.
6. Plagiarism, cheating, and all other forms of academic dishonesty are considered serious violations of personal and educational integrity and will result in automatic failure.
7. Grading Policy: This will be a reading, thinking, and writing intensive class. The grade of “A” will only be given to excellent work that shows that you understand and can work with the question in your own voice. Answers should be accurate, clear, consistent, complete, and involve a thoughtful response to both the readings and class-discussion.
8. If you have a disability that presents a difficulty for you in this class or are experiencing problems that are interfering with your work in this class, please discuss this with me immediately and we will attempt to come up with an appropriate solution.

Required Texts
1. Steven M. Cahn (Editor); Political Philosophy: The Essential Texts. Oxford University Press , 2004, ISBN: 0195177088
2. Sophocles; Antigone. Translated, with Introduction and Notes, by Paul Woodruff. Hackett Publishing, ISBN: 0-87220-571-1

Schedule

1. Jan 25: Introduction to course and political philosophy

I. Justice, Law, and Civil Disobedience in Ancient Greece and the United States / Take a visual tour of Ancient Athens at: http://www.stoa.org/athens/sites.html
2. Jan 27: Sophocles, Antigone. Reading: Sophocles, pages 1-20
3. Jan 30: Sophocles, Antigone. Reading: Sophocles, pages 20-40
4. Feb 1: Sophocles, Antigone. Reading: Sophocles, pages 40-58, 63-65
5. Feb. 3: Plato, Defence of Socrates. Reading: Cahn, pages 5-13
6. Feb. 6: Plato, Defence of Socrates. Reading: Cahn, pages 13-22
7. Feb. 8: Plato, Crito. Reading: Cahn, pages 22-30
8. Feb. 10: Ancient and Modern Democracy: (1) Thucydides, Pericles' Funeral Oration. Reading is available On-Line at: http://faculty.uml.edu/enelson/pericles.htm (2) The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Reading: Cahn, pages 571-574
9. Feb. 13: Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from a Birmingham City Jail and The March on Washington Address. Reading: Cahn, pages 576-588
10. Feb. 15: Does Justice demand Violence? Is violent and/or non-violent Civil Disobedience ever legitimate or is there an absolute duty to the state?
11. Feb. 17: Assignment I (In-Class Exam)
12. Feb. 20: Presidents Day (University Closed)

II. Equality, Power, and the Social Contract
13. Feb. 22: John Locke, Second Treatise of Government. Reading: Cahn, pages 246-256
14. Feb. 24: John Locke, Second Treatise of Government. Reading: Cahn, pages 256-265
15. Feb. 27: John Locke, Second Treatise of Government. Reading: Cahn, pages 265-273
16. March 1: What did John Locke have to do with the Native Americans? Colonies, Settlers, Property. Read Black Elk Speaks at: http://faculty.uml.edu/enelson/blackelk.htm Do such different ways of experiencing nature, property, and spiritually still persist? Recommended Movie: In the Light of Reverence (2001)
17. March 3: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. Reading: Cahn, pages 278-285
18. March 6: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality and Of the Social Contract. Reading: Cahn, pages 285-293
19. March 8: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Of the Social Contract. Reading: Cahn, pages 293-300
20. March 10: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Of the Social Contract. Reading: Cahn, pages 300-310
*March 13, 15, 17: NO CLASSES FOR SPRING BREAK!
21. March 20: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Of the Social Contract. Reading: Cahn, pages 310-321

III. Wealth of Nations and Class Struggles: Capitalism, Communism, and the Question of Class
22. March 22: Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations. Reading: Cahn, pages 334-341. Assignment II (Paper) Due!
23. March 24: Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations. Reading: Cahn, pages 341-349
24. March 27: Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Reading: Cahn, pages 410-417
25. March 29: Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Reading: Cahn, pages 417-427
26. March 31: Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Reading: Cahn, pages 427-436

IV. Debating Democracy: Federalism and Individual Liberty
27-28-29. April 3/5/7: Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, The Federalist Papers. Reading: Cahn, pages 354-376
30. April 10: John Stuart Mill, On Liberty. Reading: Cahn, pages 438-448
31. April 12: John Stuart Mill, On Liberty. Reading: Cahn, pages 449-460
32. April 14: John Stuart Mill, On Liberty. Reading: Cahn, 461-471. Assignment III (Take-Home Exam)
33. April 17: Patriot’s Day (University Closed)

IV. The Possibilities and Limits of Democracy: Contemporary Debates
34. April 19: Michel Foucault, Power/Knowledge. Reading: Cahn, pages 511-517
35. April 21: Michel Foucault, Power/Knowledge. Reading: Cahn, pages 517-524
36.-37. April 24/26: Jürgen Habermas, Three Normative Models of Democracy. Reading: Cahn, 527-534. April 26: Exams back and paper assignments!
38. April 28: University Day (No Classes)
39. May 1: Jürgen Habermas, On the Internal Relation Between the Rule of Law and Democracy. Reading: Cahn, pages 534-540
40. May 3: Martha C. Nussbaum, The Feminist Critique of Liberalism. Reading: Cahn, 545-554
41. May 5: No Class!
42. May 8: Martha C. Nussbaum, The Feminist Critique of Liberalism. Reading: Cahn, 554-563. Conclusions.

The final paper (Assignment IV) is due before 5pm on Friday, May 19!