Courses

Winter 2023

Citizenship in the 21st Century (COLLEGE 102)

Citizenship is not just what passport you hold or where you were born. Citizenship also means equal membership in a self-governing political community. We will explore some of the many debates about this ideal: Who is (or ought to be) included in citizenship? Who gets to decide? What responsibilities come with citizenship? Is citizenship analogous to being a friend, a family member, a business partner? How have people excluded from citizenship fought for, and sometimes won, inclusion? These debates have a long history, featuring in some of the earliest recorded philosophy and literature but also animating current political debates in the United States and elsewhere. Syllabus available here.

Liberalism and its Critics (POLISCI 130, ETHICSOC 130, PHIL 171P)

Instructor: Brian Coyne

In this course, students will learn and engage with the core debates that have animated political theory in modern times. What is the proper relationship between the individual, the community, and the state? Are liberty and equality in conflict, and, if so, which should take priority? What does justice mean in a large and diverse modern society? The title of the course, borrowed from a book by Michael Sandel, is 'Liberalism and its Critics' because the questions we discuss in this class center on the meaning of, and alternatives to, the liberal ideas that the basic goal of society should be the protection of individual rights and that some form of an egalitarian democracy is the best way to achieve this goal. The course is structured around two historical phenomena: one the one hand, liberal answers to these key questions have at times seemed politically and socially triumphant, but on the other hand, this ascendency has always been challenged and contested. At least one prior class in political theory, such as Justice (POLISCI 103), Citizenship in the 21st Century (COLLEGE 102), or Democratic Theory (POLISCI 234) is recommended but not required. Syllabus available here.

Global Futures: History, Statecraft, Systems (POLISCI 216, INTLPOL 222, HISTORY 205F)

Instructor: Stephen Kotkin

Where does the future come from? It comes from the past, of course, but how? What are the key drivers of continuity or change, and how can we trace those drivers going forward, too? What are the roles of contingency, chance, and choice, versus long-term underlying structure? How can people, from whatever walk of life, identify and utilize levers of power to ty to shift the larger system? What is a system, and how do systems behave? To answer these questions and analyze how today's world came into being and where it might be headed, this course explores geopolitics and geoeconomics, institutions and technologies, citizenship and leadership. We examine how our world works to understand the limits but also the possibilities of individual and collective agency, the phenomenon of perverse and unintended consequences, and ultimately, the nature of power. Our goal is to investigate not just how to conceive of a smart policy, but how its implementation might unfold. In sum, this course aims to combine strategic analysis and tactical agility. Syllabus available here. 

Classical Seminar: Origins of Political Thought (POLISCI 230A, POLISCI 330A, CLASSICS 181, CLASSICS 381, ETHICSOC 130A, PHIL 176A, PHIL 276A)

Instructors: Josiah Ober and Avshalom Schwartz

Political philosophy in classical antiquity, centered on reading canonical works of Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle against other texts and against the political and historical background. Topics include: interdependence, legitimacy, justice; political obligation, citizenship, and leadership; origins and development of democracy; law, civic strife, and constitutional change. Syllabus available here. 

Wealth of Nations (POLISCI 244C, ECON 134)

Instructor: Javier Mejia Cubillos

Why are there economic disparities across countries? Why did some countries grow steadily over the past 200 years while many others did not? What have been the consequences for the citizens of those countries? What has been the role of geography, culture, and institutions in the development process? What are the moral dilemmas behind this development process? These are some of the questions we will discuss in this course. Following a historical and cross-cultural perspective, we will study the origins of economic development and the path that led to the configuration of the modern global economy. Syllabus available here.

Spring 2023

Democratic Theory (POLISCI 234, ETHICSOC 234, PHIL 176P)

Instructor: Brian Coyne

Most people agree that democracy is a good thing, but do we agree on what democracy is? This course will examine the concept of democracy in political philosophy. We will address the following questions: What reason(s), if any, do we have for valuing democracy? What does it mean to treat people as political equals? When does a group of individuals constitute "a people," and how can a people make genuinely collective decisions? Can democracy really be compatible with social inequality? With an entrenched constitution? With representation?

Political Memory and Democratic Citizenship (POLISCI 235B/335B)

Instructor: Simon Luo

We may not always realize it, but political discussions often invoke historical memory. As we debate about political ideas and praxes, we often draw on history to criticize our interlocutors and build our arguments. Meanwhile, historical memory also deeply shapes how we think about politics. For example, our rejection of Nazism is closely linked to memories of the Holocaust. Our debates about racial politics in the US are inevitably intertwined with historical readings of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. New politics often offers new historical readings and counters mainstream, commonsensical understandings of the past. Because historical memory is so crucial to politics, and because what is considered collective memory often varies from community to community, it is essential that we try to understand the relationship between memory, politics, and citizenship. In this class, we read texts written by thinkers such as Hannah Arendt, W. James Booth, Avishai Margalit, John Rawls, and Judith Shklar to discuss the following questions: How does memory form communal identity? How does memory shape our conception of justice, political agency, and legitimacy? Are there democratic ways of approaching history? Is remembering always good for democratic politics? As we come up with answers to these questions, we develop a better sense of how our identity as democratic citizens is linked to historical and collective memory.

Misinformation and Democracy: Past and Present (POLISCI 235C/335C)

Instructor: Avshalom Schwartz

Many today consider misinformation to be one of the most significant challenges faced by democratic societies. Some see this as a new phenomenon, arguing, for example, that modern technology - and, above all, social media giants like Facebook or Twitter - is responsible for this threat. Yet, the problem of misinformation and the challenges posed by 'fake-news,' conspiracy theories, and lying in politics have a long history. In this course, we will ask whether and how misinformation threatens democracy and explore different potential solutions to this challenge. We will read various historical texts suggesting that misinformation is not a new phenomenon born in our digital age. We will learn about various past experiences of misinformation, such as discussions of the permissibility of lying in politics in antiquity, rumors about the end of the world in the Renaissance, and early modern debates about censorship and freedom of speech. We will see how several key figures in the history of political thought - from Plato and Aristotle to Hobbes and Mill - sought to deal with these problems. Combining close readings of historical texts and discussions of contemporary issues, we will ask whether and how we might be able to utilize historical knowledge and experience to understand and address some of the most pressing challenges we face today.

Varieties of Conservatism in America (POLISCI 237)

Instructor: Peter Berkowitz

This seminar explores the conservative movement in America and its principal strands. It begins with an introduction to the modern tradition of freedom and America's founding principles since the understanding of conservatism - in the United States as elsewhere - requires some acquaintance with that which conservatives seek to conserve. The introduction includes study of Marx's classic critique of liberal democracy because the understanding of conservativism also requires an appreciation of the leading alternative. The seminar then turns to developments in the immediate aftermath of World War II, when a self-consciously conservative movement in the United States first emerged as a national force and concludes with an examination of the leading debates among conservatives today. The seminar meets once a week. It revolves around careful reading of assigned texts, robust discussion of the materials, and analysis from a variety of perspectives. Students will be required to submit one-page ungraded reflections in advance of each class, and a substantial final paper at the conclusion of the course.

Societal Collapse (POLISCI 244D, CLASSICS 187)

Instructor: Javier Mejia Cubillos

Sustained economic growth is an anomaly in human history. Moreover, in the very long term, sustained economic decline is common. Following a historical and cross-cultural perspective, we will study the causes of economic decline, the social and political consequences of that decline, and the path that led to the collapse of some of the most prosperous societies in human history. Among the episodes we will cover are the Late Bronze Age collapse in the Eastern Mediterranean, the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and the Classic Maya collapse. We will compare these ancient episodes with recent cases of socioeconomic decline, including the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the downfall of Venezuela under Chavismo. We will use the past to reflect on the fundamentals of harmony and prosperity in our society and the challenges that they will face in the future.

Autumn 2022

The History of Ancient Greek Philosophy (PHIL 100, CLASSICS 40)

Instructor: Chris Bobonich

We shall cover the major developments in Greek philosophical thought, focusing on Plato, Aristotle, and the Hellenistic schools (the Epicureans, the Stoics, and the Skeptics). Topics include epistemology, metaphysics, psychology, ethics, and political theory. Syllabus available here.

Justice (POLISCI 103, POLISCI 336S, ETHICSOC 171, PHIL 171, PUBLPOL 103C)

Instructor: Brian Coyne

Justice, as we use the term in this class, is a question about social cooperation. People can produce much more cooperatively than the sum of what they could produce as individuals, and these gains from cooperation are what makes civilization possible. But on what terms should we cooperate? How should we divide, as the philosopher John Rawls puts it, "the benefits and burdens of social cooperation"? Working primarily within the Anglo-American philosophical tradition, we'll discuss different answers to this big question as a way to bring together some of the most prominent debates in modern political philosophy. We'll study theories including utilitarianism, libertarianism, classical liberalism, and egalitarian liberalism, and we'll take on complex current issues like reparations for racial injustice, the gender pay gap, and responses to climate change. This class is meant to be an accessible entry point to political philosophy. No experience with political science or philosophy is required or assumed, and we will spend time on the strategy of philosophy as well: understanding how our authors make their arguments to better respond to them and make our own. Syllabus available here. 

From Cold War to New Cold War: Politics and Political Theory in Contemporary China (POLISCI 235A/335A)

Instructor: Simon Luo

China lacks everything: middle managers, engineers and capital," so wrote French political thinker Raymond Aron. That was 1950, three years after Harry Truman's 1947 Address to Congress, which was usually considered the beginning of the Cold War, and months after the founding of the People's Republic of China. More than seventy years later, and after a long, winding journey, China now has much more than middle managers, engineers, and capital. However, global politics seems to move towards another clash of two powerful countries with seemingly different ideological orientations as many now claim that a new Cold War is on the horizon.How did China emerge as a global power from what Aron described in 1950? And more importantly, can we, and if so, how do we, understand the rise of China with a theoretical perspective? How do theory and real politics shape each other, as manifested in the history of contemporary China? In this class, we explore answers to these questions by reading political theory against history, sociology, and political science. In every week, we read texts that reflect both the social reality and theoretical concerns of a given period in contemporary Chinese history. By so doing, we seek to make sense of both the contemporary Chinese society and the power and limits of ideas in political theory. Syllabus available here.

Selections in Modern Political Thought (POLISCI 432R, ETHICSOC 432X)

Instructor: Avshalom Schwartz

This graduate-level seminar explores selections from the canon of Western political thought from the late fifteenth through nineteenth centuries. Throughout the course, we will engage in close textual readings of individual thinkers and consider some of the larger questions raised by political modernity. This offering will focus on Western political thought from the Renaissance through the turn of the 20th century. Thinkers covered will include: Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Karl Marx, among others. Syllabus available here.

Previous Academic Years

Autumn 2021

Winter 2022

Ethics for Activists (POLISCI 134, ETHICSOC 134)

Instructor: Emilee Chapman

Activists devote sustained effort and attention toward achieving particular goals of social and political change. Do we have an ethical obligation to be activists? And how should those who do choose to be activists (for whatever reason) understand the ethics of that role? Questions discussed in this course may include: When is civil disobedience appropriate, and what does it entail? Should activists feel constrained by obligations of fairness, honesty, or civility toward those with whom we disagree? Are there special ethical considerations in activism on behalf of those who cannot advocate for themselves? What is solidarity and what does it require of us? Students in this course will develop skills in analyzing, evaluating, and constructing logical arguments about ethical concerns related to activism, but class discussions will also address the potential limitations of logical argument in ethical and political reasoning. Syllabus available here.

Spring 2022

The Political Theory of Progress, Reconsidered (POLISCI 234S)

Instructor: Jacob Abolafia

This course will consider the origins and fate of Enlightenment theories of political progress. We will begin with the classic accounts of progress in Kant, Hegel, and Marx, before turning to conservative critics of progress (Burke, de Maistre), and non-conservative challenges to the idea of progress (Weber, Schmitt, Adorno, Arendt), before concluding with contemporary controversies around the idea of progress as it pertains to technology, the environment, and economic inequality.