Introduction to Political Theory
Grossmont College
Professor Braunwarth
Introduction to Political Theory
Grossmont College
Professor Braunwarth
 | How should society be governed? |
| Who should rule? |
| What are our rights and do we have obligations to the larger community? |
| How do we resolve the tension between valuing the individual and supporting the collective? |
| Who should get what and why? |
| Are people basically good? Evil? Selfish? Reasonable? |
These are some of the great questions that have occupied the minds of some of the great thinkers of time. This is the stuff of political theory. Through an understanding of how different theories and ideologies grapple with these questions we will come to a better understanding of our own conceptions of how things should be.
Catalog Description:
A comparative and conceptual analysis of the principal ideological and philosophical approaches to government. This course surveys the important political ideas and alternatives which have been suggested from ancient to modern times.
Required Text and Readings (you must buy and read):
| Schumaker, Kiel, and Heilke. Great Ideas/Grand Schemes: Political Ideologies in the 19th and 20th Centuries. McGraw-Hill, 1996. |
| Ball and Dagger. Ideals and Ideologies: A Reader. 4th edition. Longman, 2002. |
| Additional readings will be assigned throughout the semester. These will be available either on-line or on reserve at the library. |
| Occasionally films and videos will be shown in class. These are to be considered texts for this class and information from these sources may appear on exams accordingly. |
Recommended Text:
Bell and McGrane. This Book is Not Required. Revised Edition. Pine Forge Press, 1999.
Course Requirements/Methods of Evaluations
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Points |
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· Students will be required to complete all reading assignments by the date on which they are assigned. Since the course will be run as a seminar, active participation in the forms of listening, discussing, asking questions (respectfully), challenging others, and submitting your own ideas to scrutiny by others is a central ingredient of this course. Twice during the semester you will be asked to evaluate your own participation including how well you have kept up with the readings. These self-assessments will serve as the basis for your final participation grade. |
50 |
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· Short papers (1-3 pages) will be assigned periodically. Late papers will be accepted, but will be downgraded precipitously (in other words, turn your papers in on time). |
100 |
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· In addition to our primary text, we will read the work of some of the greatest political theorists of all time. You will be responsible for introducing to the class the main ideas of one of these selections during the semester. Your presentation must include: - a brief overview of the reading and how it relates to the course - some additional insight, information, “value-added”, etc. - question(s) or topic(s) for class discussion - some type of visual aid (handout, power point, whiteboard, poster, etc.) - a typewritten outline of the presentation for the instructor |
50 |
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· Midterm exam. Exams will consist of selections from the readings. You will have to identify the theorist and explain the theory. |
100 |
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· Final exam. Total Points
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100 400 |
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Your final grade is not curved and will be assigned according to the following table:
Expectations:
On-Campus Resources:
How not to do well in this class An Optimistic Course Outline and Readings: |
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Week |
Schumaker, Kiel, Heilke |
Ball and Dagger |
Assignment/ other readings |
Presenter |
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Preface and Chapter 1 |
pp. 1,2
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Chapter 2 |
pp. 69-71 12. Hobbes “The State of Nature and the Basis of Obligation” 13. Locke “Toleration and Government” 15. Declaration of Independence of the United States 7. Bill of Rights of the United States |
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Jose Orosco | |
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17. Smith “Private Profit, Public Good” 19. J.S. Mill “Liberty and Individuality” |
Will Breen Lindsay Everett |
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Chapter 3 |
pp. 143-144 25. Burke “Society, Reverence, and the “True Natural Aristocracy”” 29. Oakeshott “On Being Conservative” |
Locke and Burke assignment due Tue 2/22 |
John Shippam Jack Ross |
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5. Anarchism |
Chapter 4 |
41. Bakunin “Anarcho-Communism v. Marxism” 42. Goldman “Anarchism: What it Really Stands For” |
Thoreau "Civil Disobedience" |
Nickie Bergvall Scott Schulman |
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6. Marxism |
Chapter 5 |
pp. 195-196 34. Owen “Address to the Inhabitants of New Lanark 35. Marx and Engels The Communist Manifesto 36. Marx “On the Materialist Conception of History” |
Liz Meihaus | |
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7. Communism |
Chapter 6 |
pp. 215-216 38. Lenin “Revision, Imperialism, and Revolution” 40. Mao “On the People’s Democratic Dictatorship” |
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Nick Rodenberg Jim Griffin |
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Chapter 9 |
43. Shaw “Fabian Socialism” 10. Walzer “Town Meetings and Workers’ Control” 45. Gould “Socialism and Democracy” |
Midterm 3/17/05 |
Alma Acevedo Barrett VanTieghem |
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9. Neo-Marxism |
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Jorge Martinez | |
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10. Contemporary Liberalism and |
Chapter 8 Chapter 10 |
21. Green “Liberalism and Positive Freedom” 24. Spragans 31. Bork “Modern Liberalism and Cultural Decline” 32. Reed “A Religious Conservative Vision for America” |
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Michael George Vince Tursi
Sabrina Macilvaine Lindsay Osborn
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11. Fascism |
Chapter 7
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48. The Political Theory of Fascism, Alfredo Rocco.
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Devan Heuther Adam Medlin
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12. Political Islam |
Chapter 11 |
64. “Secularism and the Civil Society,” Bernard Lewis. 65. “The Neglected Duty,” Abd al-Salam Faraj. |
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Ahmad Kiyam Jaryd Davis |
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13. Political Economy Week |
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14. Feminism |
Chapter 13 |
Political
Economy Week assignment
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Mary Nelson
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15. Liberation Ideologies |
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50. King “Letters From Birmingham City Jail” 56. Corvino "Homosexuality: The Nature and Harm Arguments" |
William Lake | |
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16. Green Ideology |
Chapter 12 |
59. Singer “All Animals are Equal” 60. Leopold “The Land Ethic” 61. Berry “Getting Along with Nature” 62. Foreman “Putting the Earth First” |
http://www.themeatrix.com/ |
Steve Marshall Carlo Emami |
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Final |
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Tu 5/24 11:30-1:30 |
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