POLS 1700 Foundations of Western Political Theory- MO1- Spring 2021 - Saint Louis University
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POLS 1700 Foundations of Western Political Theory- MO1-
Spring 2021
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Course Credits: 3
Class Days and Time: This is a hybrid (online and face-to-face) course
Class meetings will take place on Tuesday and Thursday 12:30-13:45, some on campus in
SIH C and others online via Zoom
Prerequisites: none
Class Zoom
link: https://slu.zoom.us/j/98604325448?pwd=SWx0SkFHK2Rhekp1clR2OG1PZi9CQT09
Instructor: Dr. Simona Rentea
Instructor’s email: simona.rentea@slu.edu
Office hours: Tuesday 18:00-20:00 (via Zoom); Thursday 14:00-15:00 (SIH 310)
To arrange an alternative time or to meet in person, email the instructor. Questions and
clarifications can be sent via email. You can expect a reply within 24 hours, with the exception
of weekends.
Office hour Zoom link:
https://slu.zoom.us/j/92907713760?pwd=UU1RZm12M2wybnYwbGpYS01nRWtsZz09
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Introduction: In this course, we are going to examine some of the key ideas in the history and
development of Western political thought from the Ancient period to the present. These are the
ideas that have attempted to provide answers to fundamental question for us today: what are
POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
the limits of freedom; how can government be legitimated; is violence ever justified, how ‘to
live well’ in community with others; what is the role of justice and virtue in politics? In so
doing, we will come across ideas that have dramatically shaped the societies in which we live
today, both in the West and beyond. Encountering these ideas, we will also examine the context
of their emergence and reflect on the complex interplay between ideas and the societies from
which they emerge and which they in their turn helped shape. We will consequently develop a
contextualist, genealogical approach to the history of Western political though by placing
particular emphasis on the relationship between political and intellectual ideas and the relations
of forces operating within the societies in which they emerge.
Course Aims:
The aims of the course are:
1. To provide a broad introduction to the key ideas in the development of Western
political thought;
2. To establish the role of Western political thought in the development of modern
politics and societies;
3. To examine the relationship between political theory and the emergence of key
political and intellectual currents leading up to the modern era.
Student Learning Outcomes:
After completing the course, the student should be able to:
1. Determine the broad contours and current in the history and development of Western
political thought;
2. Grasp and be able to explain the historical development of ideas in context;
3. Critically analyze the work of the key thinkers covered in the course.
Technology Requirements: You will need regular access to a computer with an internet
connection. High speed broadband access (LAN, Cable or DSL) is highly recommended for
the optimal learning experience. “Check your “@slu.edu” email daily. Campus and course
announcements will often be handled by e-mail.”
Engagement & Attendance Expectations:
• You are expected to log into Blackboard’s course page from Monday to Thursday to
go over the lecture materials, readings and complete all the assigned work for each of
the modules. The course is structured by modules that include a series of objectives, a
task list and a deadline for each.
• On Friday, you may wish to log in to make sure that you have completed all the tasks
and to finish the module requirements before it closes.
• Students should estimate to dedicate from 5 to 9 hours a week during the semester to
complete the module for this class. Some modules will have a discussion board which
you are required to check regularly, post and respond to colleagues’ contributions.
There is a minimum expectation of one post and one reply per student per week.
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POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
• All required assignments are to be submitted on the due date. Essays or assignments
that are handed in late will be marked down by 5% a day for every day that they are
late.
• All assignments and exams will be returned with feedback within a maximum of seven
working days.
Netiquette Policy:
o Respect diversity and the opinions of others. Communicate tactfully and base
disagreements on scholarly ideas or research evidence.
o Represent yourself well at all times. Be truthful, accurate and run a final spell check.
Limit the use of slang and emoticons.
o Address others by name or appropriate title and be mindful of your tone. Treat people
as if you were in a face-to-face situation.
o Avoid using sarcasm, being rude or writing in all capital letters (it might be
interpreted as showing anger). Written words can be easily misinterpreted as they lack
nonverbals.
o Use proper language, grammar and spelling. Be explanatory and justify your opinions.
Credit the ideas of others through citing and linking to scholarly resources.
o Be careful sharing personal information online (both yours and others’).
Video/Zoom conferences:
o Dress appropriately for the classroom.
o Do not eat, drink or smoke.
o Make sure that you are in a quiet place where you should not get interrupted.
o Try not to move around too much or do anything that could distract others.
o Disconnect or silence other devices, such as telephones, to avoid distractions.
o Turn off the microphone when not using it.
o Do not engage in other non-related activities at the same time (e.g. check emails).
o Follow the instructor's guidelines related to questions and other interactions.
Discussion Boards netiquette:
o Make sure that you have read carefully all the instructions.
o Be as concise and clear as possible.
o Write posts that are on topic and within the scope of the course material.
o Review and edit your posts before submitting them.
o Always give proper credit when referencing or quoting another source, whether it be a
peer or an authority.
o Be sure to read all messages in a thread before replying.
o Don’t repeat someone else’s post without adding something of your own to it: this
may be considered plagiarism.
o Avoid short, generic replies such as, “I agree.”
o Always be respectful of others’ opinions even when they differ from your own.
o Be open-minded and express differing opinions in a respectful, non-critical way.
Email netiquette:
o Use a clear and descriptive subject line.
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POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
o Be brief.
o Put the most important part at the very beginning.
o Use attachments that you are sure your recipients can open (check class guidelines).
o Think before you send the e-mail to more than one person. Does everyone really need
to see your message?
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Course Requirements and Detailed Grading System:
Grade Points: Grade Components: Course Credits: 3
A 4.0 93%-100% 25% Midterm Exam
A- 3.7 90%-92% 15% Class Participation
B+ 3.3 87%-89% 10% Simulation Participation
10% Simulation Reflection
B 3.0 83%-86% 40% Final Exam
B- 2.7 80%-82%
C+ 2.3 73%-79%
C 2.0 67%-72%
C- 1.7 60%-66%
D 1.0 50%-59%
F 0.0 0-49%
Requirements:
• Students should complete the readings before the date for which they are listed in the
course outline. You are required to attend each class session prepared and ready to
participate.
• Students will be graded on the basis of class participation (15%), a midterm exam
(25%), the simulation participation and simulation reflection (20%) as well as a final
exam (40%).
• Students should follow the instructions, research and prepare their role and be ready
to take an active part in the simulation event.
Classroom Philosophy:
• You are required to attend all sessions prepared to participate and think critically You
are required to attend all sessions prepared to participate and think critically during lecture
and discussion sessions.
• I trust and expect that you will be able to sustain a mutually respectful classroom
atmosphere by treating all classmates as equals and with due regard for their opinions.
• Except for legitimate reasons (doctor’s letter certifying illness for example), you are
expected to attend all sessions. If you have legitimate reasons for your absence, an email
should be sent to the tutor in advance of the class.
• Laptops will not be allowed in class except for taking notes and in a manner that would not
disrupt your engagement with the class and your colleagues’ efforts to concentrate. Phones
are not allowed in the classroom under any circumstances.
• All required assignments are to be submitted on time. Essays or assignments that are handed
in late will be marked down by 5% a day for every day that they are late.
4POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
Clarification on assessment:
1. Your classroom participation and engagement (15%) mark will reflect:
• The frequency of attendance and commitment to the course.
o You are expected to attend class or Zoom sessions regularly and come prepared
to participate and think critically. Preparation involves reading the required
reading and engaging in tasks as outlined by each module.
o You are permitted two unexcused absences. For each additional unexcused
absence, your participation mark will drop by 10%.
• Your consistency in covering the required reading material and ability to extract the
most relevant information for the classroom discussion.
• Your ability to contribute questions in class and taking an active role in classroom or
Zoom discussions.
• Your level of engagement with Blackboard discussion boards and online assignments.
2. You will receive detailed instructions about the simulation event during the semester. You
will be set into groups and be given roles to prepare. Your mark for the simulation exercise
(20%) will include:
• Simulation participation (10%):
o Your preparation for the role (based on the instructions received);
o Your determination to contribute actively during the exercise and the
seriousness with which you commit to your role;
o Your ability to work with your group in preparing your position and
strategizing.
• A 1,000 words simulation reflection piece (paper copy, in class) (10%):
o The reflection is asking you to write an evaluation of the simulation event
by reflecting on the theories and ideas put forward by the various factions,
following on from their intellectual figures, such as Rousseau and Burke.
3. The midterm (25%) and final examinations (40%) will be written on their respective
dates. No alternative examination dates will be scheduled except in case of excused medical
absences.
• Review sheets with the topics and questions covered and the format for the
exams will be provided prior to both the mid-term and final examinations.
Revisions sessions will also be scheduled.
• Dates: the midterm will be held on 4 March and final exam will be held on 6
May.
E-mail: Campus and course announcements will often be handled by e-mail. Students should
check their “@slu.edu” e-mail regularly.
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Academic Honesty: Academic integrity is honest, truthful and responsible conduct in all
academic endeavors. The mission of Saint Louis University is “the pursuit of truth for the
greater glory of God and for the service of humanity.” Accordingly, all acts of falsehood
demean and compromise the corporate endeavors of teaching, research, health care, and
community service through which SLU fulfills its mission. The University strives to prepare
students for lives of personal and professional integrity, and therefore regards all breaches of
academic integrity as matters of serious concern.
The full University-level Academic Integrity Policy can be found on the Provost's Office
website. Additionally, SLU-Madrid has posted its academic integrity policy online. As a
5POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
member of the University community, you are expected to know and abide by these policies,
which detail definitions of violations, processes for reporting violations, sanctions and appeals.
Your instructor will review these matters during the first weeks of the term. Please direct
questions about any facet of academic integrity to the instructor, the chair of the department of
your academic program or the Academic Dean of the Madrid Campus.
Diversity and Inclusion: Saint Louis University is committed to fostering a positive, inclusive
and welcoming learning and working environment. SLU-Madrid's policies prohibit
discrimination based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, gender
identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, disability, physical appearance,
financial or socio-economic status, immigration status, parental or marital status, veteran status
or any other protected classification of identity. Discrimination includes any form of unequal
treatment such as denial of opportunities, harassment, and violence. Sex-based violence
includes rape, sexual assault, unwanted touching, stalking, dating/interpersonal violence, and
sexual exploitation.
If you experience or witness any kind of discrimination, you are encouraged (but not required)
to report the incident to the SLU-Madrid's Department of Student Life, whose office is located
in Padre Rubio Hall (marta.maruri@slu.edu; +34 915 54 58 58, ext. 213. You can also report
the incident to the University's Hotline (900-99-0011; then enter 877-525-5669 when asked for
the hotline number).
Please know that instructors have a responsibility to inform SLU-Madrid when made aware of
incidents of discrimination, harassment sexual misconduct, and/or related retaliation, to ensure
that individuals impacted receive information about options for reporting and support
resources. If you wish to speak with confidential resources are available on campus and off
campus:
• Counselors at SLU-Madrid's Wellness Center, located on the third floor of San Ignacio
Hall (wellness-madrid@slu.edu; 915 54 58 58, ext. 230).
• Counselors at Sinews Multilingual Therapy Institute, SLU-Madrid's off-campus
counseling and mental health services provider (www.sinews.es; 917 00 19 79).
• SLU-Madrid's Campus Minister, Fr. James O'Leary, S.J. (james.oleary@slu.edu; 915
54 58 58, ext. 279).
Additional information and resources are posted on our Safety and Security and Community
Standards webpages.
Disability Accommodations and Learning Resources: In recognition that people learn in a
variety of ways and that learning is influenced by multiple factors (e.g., prior experience, study
skills, learning disability), resources to support student success are available on campus.
Students who think they might benefit from these resources can find out more about:
• Course-level support (e.g., faculty member, departmental resources, etc.) by asking or
emailing your course instructor.
• University-level support (e.g., tutoring/writing services, Disability Services) by
contacting the Academic Dean's Office (advising-madrid@slu.edu) or by reviewing the
Academic Resources website online.
Students with a documented disability who wish to request academic accommodations must
contact Disability Services to discuss accommodation requests and eligibility requirements.
Once successfully registered, the student also must notify the course instructor that they wish
to access accommodations in the course. Please contact disabilityservices-madrid@slu.edu or
6POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
+34 915 54 58 58, extension 242 or 249. Confidentiality will be observed in all inquiries. Once
approved, information about the student’s eligibility for academic accommodations will be
shared with course instructors via email from Disability Services. Note: Students who do not
have a documented disability but who think they may have one are encouraged to contact
Disability Services.
For more information about academic accommodations, see the SLU-Madrid Disability
Services webpage.
Needs Security Statement: Students in personal or academic distress and/or who may be
specifically experiencing challenges such as securing food or difficulty navigating campus
resources, and who believe this may affect their performance in the course, are encouraged to
contact Marta Maruri, SLU-Madrid’s Director of Student Life (marta.maruri@slu.edu or +34
915 54 58 58, ext. 213) for support. Furthermore, please notify the instructor if you are
comfortable in doing so, as this will enable them to assist you with finding the resources you
may need.
Use of Posted Course Content: SLU-Madrid prohibits recording and transmission of
classroom lectures and discussions by students unless written permission from the class
instructor has been obtained and all students in the class as well as guest speakers have been
informed that audio/video recording may occur. Recordings, course materials, and lecture notes
may not be exchanged or distributed for commercial purposes, for compensation, or for any
other purpose other than study by students enrolled in the class. Public distribution of such
materials may constitute copyright infringement in violation of Spanish law. Violation of this
policy may subject a student to disciplinary action in accordance with SLU-Madrid policies on
Student Rights and Responsibilities and Community Standards.
GDPR Norms Concerning Class Recordings: In accordance with General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR), we inform you that as a participant within this on-line classroom, your
image and voice may be recorded by Saint Louis University in Spain, S.A., CIF A28654879,
in 28003 Madrid (Spain), Avenida del Valle 34, for the sole purpose of the instruction of the
said class that you are registered in. This information will be stored for the duration of the on-
line class and erased thereafter by the professor of the course. Should you not want your image
or voice to be a part of this class recording, please contact your professor to indicate that you
will be turning your camera and microphone off and be participating via chat.
In addition, we would like to inform you that all recordings will be available to you in
Blackboard and are exclusively for the use of the participants of the said class and should not
be published on any other platform without the prior consent of all participants that may appear
in the recording.
According to the rights conferred by the current GDPR regulation, you may exercise your rights
of access, rectification, limitation of treatment, deletion, portability and opposition to the
processing of your personal data, as well as the consent given for the treatment of it by directing
your requests to the address indicated above or by sending an email to dpo-madrid@slu.edu.
De acuerdo con el Reglamento General de Protección de Datos (RGPD), le informamos que,
como participante en esta clase on-line, su imagen y voz pueden ser grabadas por Saint Louis
University in Spain, S.A., CIF A28654879, sita en la Avenida del Valle, número 34, en Madrid
(CP 28003), España, para el único propósito de la enseñanza de la citada clase en la que usted
está matriculado. Esta información se conservará en el tiempo de duración de la clase on-line,
y será borrada después por el profesor del curso. Si no desea que su imagen o voz formen parte
de la grabación de esta clase, desconecte su cámara y su micrófono, y participe en la clase vía
chat.
7POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
Además, nos gustaría comunicarle que todas las grabaciones estarán disponibles en Blackboard
para el uso exclusivo de los participantes en la citada clase, y no deben ser publicadas en
ninguna otra plataforma sin el consentimiento previo de todos los participantes que aparecen
en la propia grabación.
De acuerdo con los derechos conferidos por la regulación actual RGPD, usted puede ejercer
sus derechos de acceso, rectificación, limitación del tratamiento, borrado, portabilidad y
oposición al procesamiento de sus datos personales, tanto como al consentimiento dado para
su tratamiento, dirigiendo su solicitud a la dirección indicada debajo o enviando un correo
electrónico a dpo-madrid@slu.edu.
Course textbook:
• Boucher, David and Paul Kelly (2009), Political Thinkers: From
Socrates to the Present, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Additional readings to the textbook and informative radio programs can be
accessed by clicking on the links in the syllabus, or by copying the URLs into
your browser.
• An additional list of further reading is attached at the end of the syllabus.
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Spring 2021- Course Organization:
Module 1: Introductory Module
Deadline: Thursday 21 January 2021.
Goals: Understand the objectives of the course, how the semester will be organized,
modalities of evaluation, etc.
Task List:
1. Read the course syllabus in detail, including expectations and policies.
2. Ask any questions you might have in class or by emailing the instructor at
simona.rentea@slu.edu.
3. Attend the in-class session on Thursday 21 January, 12:30pm Madrid time
(GMT+2).
PART I: POLITICAL THOUGHT IN THE CLASSICAL WORLD
Module 2: The Sophists, Politics of the Community
Deadline: Thursday 28 January.
Goals: Understand the role of Sophists in the development of Greek political philosophy.
Task List:
1. Reading: Boucher and Kelly, Introduction: pp. 1-9 for Tuesday.
2. Reading: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 2: pp. 27-42 for Thursday.
3. Attend the in the in-class lectures and seminars on 26 and 28 January, 12:30pm
Madrid time (GMT+2).
8POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
Greek Agora; Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/agora
Module 3: Socrates, The Good Life in Community
Deadline: Thursday 4 February.
Goals: Contrast different approaches to political expertise and justice, between Socrates
and the Sophists.
Task List:
1. Watch on your own, The Dawn of Democracy (documentary) on Tuesday 2
February (Link on module page on Blackboard).
2. Participate in the discussion board for module 3.
3. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 3 Socrates: pp. 50-62.
4. Listen to In Our Time radio program on Socrates,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007zp21
5. Extra reading: Plato, Socrates’ Apology, http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html
6. Attend in-class lecture and discussion on Thursday 4 February, 12:30pm Madrid
time (GMT+2).
Module 4: Plato, Justice in the Republic
Deadline: Thursday 11 February.
Goals: Introduce the thought on justice, political design and community of Plato and
contrast him with previous Greek thinkers.
Task List:
1. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 4 Plato: pp. 65-80;
2. Listen to: In Our Time radio program on Plato’s
Republic, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08vwn6h
3. Read: Plato’s “Seventh Letter”, online at:
http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/seventh_letter.html
4. Attend the Zoom discussion session on Tuesday 9 February and the in-class
lecture and discussion on Thursday 11 February, 12:30pm Madrid time
(GMT+2).
9POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
Raphael, School of Athens, 1510; Retrieved from: https://mymodernmet.com/school-of-athens-raphael/
Module 5: Aristotle’s Ethics and Politics
Deadline: Thursday 18 February.
Goals: Explore Aristotle’s unique understanding of justice and the main lines of contrast
and comparison with Plato and Aristotle.
Task List:
1. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 5: pp. 84-92 for Tuesday.
2. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 5: pp. 92-97 for Thursday.
3. Listen to: In Our Time program on Aristotle:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00f8530
4. Extra: Read excerpts from Aristotle’s Politics, Book One:
http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/politics.1.one.html
5. Attend the Zoom session on Tuesday 16 February and the in-class lecture and
discussion on Thursday 18 February, 12:30pm Madrid time (GMT+2).
Module 6: Cicero, Reason and Natural Law
Deadline: Thursday 25 February.
Goals: See the continuities and discontinuities between Greek and Roman philosophical
thought and their understanding of ethics and politics.
Task List:
1. Watch video in your own time on Tuesday 23 February.
2. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 6: pp. 103-112.
3. Participate in the discussion board for module 6.
4. Attend the in-class and Zoom seminar on Thursday 25 February, 12:30pm
Madrid time (GMT+2).
Module 7: MIDTERM EXAM on modules 1-6
Deadline: Thursday 4 March, 12:30-13:45 Madrid time.
• Detailed instructions about the midterm will be communicated in advance.
10POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
• A revision sheet with the topics covered and format of the exam will be shared.
• The revision session on Tuesday 2 March will go through the revision sheet and
any questions that you may have.
PART II: MEDIEVAL POLITICAL THOUGHT
Module 8: Christian Thought
Deadline: Thursday 11 March.
Goals: Explore the main contribution of Christian thought within the grounds of the
philosophical schema provided by the Greeks; understand the main lines of continuity and
discontinuity between them.
Task List:
1. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 7, St. Augustine: pp. 119- 130 for Tuesday.
2. Extra: Read from St. Augustine, The Two Cities,
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/aug-city2.asp
3. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 8, Thomas Aquinas: pp. 136-137; 140-149 for
Thursday.
4. Watch parts of the documentary: First 1000 of Christianity (especially min 50-150).
5. Attend the Zoom seminar on Tuesday 9 March and in-class session on Thursday
11 March, 12:30pm Madrid time (GMT+2).
Module 9: Niccolo Machiavelli: Political Realism in the City of Man
Deadline: Thursday 18 March.
Goals: Grasp the uniqueness of Machiavelli’s political thought and assess the purchase of
the claim that he is the first modern political thinker.
Task List:
1. Watch on your own the documentary: Who is Afraid of Machiavelli? on Tuesday
16 March.
2. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 10 Machiavelli: pp. 169-174; 180-187.
3. Read from Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince, Chapter V,
http://www.constitution.org/mac/prince00.htm
4. Listen to In Our Time program on Machiavelli:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004y26p
5. Participate in the discussion board for module 9.
6. Attend the in-class discussion seminar on Thursday 11 March, 12:30pm Madrid
time (GMT+2).
11POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
PART III: MODERN POLITICAL THEORY
Module 10: Thomas Hobbes: The Social Contract
Deadline: Thursday 25 March.
Goals: Reconstruct the key lines of debate on the social contract between Hobbes, Locke
and Rousseau. Understand Hobbes’ unique conception of the contract and appreciate the
liberal and illiberal elements in his thought.
Task List:
1. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 11: pp. 214-228.
2. Listen to In Our Time program on Hobbes:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p003k9l1
3. Extra read: from T. Hobbes, Leviathan (Excerpts):
http://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/111hob.html
7. Attend the Zoom discussion seminar on Tuesday 23 March and in-class on
Thursday 25 March, 12:30pm Madrid time (GMT+2).
Ester Week: the week of 29 March, no classes/University closed.
Module 11: The Social Contract in Locke and Rousseau
Deadline: Thursday 8 April.
Goals: Compare and contrast Locke’s and Rousseau’s understanding of sovereignty in
relation to Hobbes’ initial formulation and appreciate the dimensions of their main
contribution to contractarianism.
Task List:
1. Reading: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 12 John Locke: pp. 231-246 for Tuesday.
2. Extra: Read from J. Locke, Two Treatises of Government,
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1690locke-sel.asp
3. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 15 J.J. Rousseau: pp. 286-298 for Thursday.
4. Listen to In Our Time radio program, The Social Contract:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008w3xm
5. Extra: Read from J.J. Rousseau, The Social Contract: Book Two,
http://www.constitution.org/jjr/socon_02.htm
6. Attend the Zoom discussion seminar on Tuesday 6 April and in-class on
Thursday 8 April, 12:30pm Madrid time (GMT+2).
Module 12: Critics of the Social Contract
Deadline: Thursday 15 April.
Goals: Reconstruct the main lines of Burke’s socially conservative and Wollstonecraft’s
feminist critique of the social contract, particularly Rousseau.
12POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
Task List:
1. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 16 Edmund Burke: pp. 305-323 for Tuesday.
2. Extra: Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France,
http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm
3. Read: Boucher and Kelly, Chapter 18 Mary Wollstonecraft: pp. 351-364 for
Thursday.
4. Extra: Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Women,
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3420
5. Attend the Zoom discussion seminar on Tuesday 13 April and in-class session on
Thursday 15 April, 12:30pm Madrid time (GMT+2).
Getty Images, Hippolyte Lecomte, Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/when-did-the-french-revolution-
end-1221875
Module 13: Rousseau, Burke and the Revolution in France, Simulation sessions
Deadline: Thursday 22 April
Goal:
The simulation places students in the summer of 1791 in revolutionary Paris. Students are
leaders of major factions within the National Assembly, and the streets outside, as they
struggle to create a constitution amidst internal chaos and threats of foreign invasion.
Will the king retain power? Will the priests of the Catholic Church obey the “general will”
of the National Assembly or the dictates of the pope in Rome? Do traditional institutions and
values constitute restraints on freedom and individual dignity or are they its essential basis?
Are slaves, women, and Jews entitled to the “rights of man”? Is violence a legitimate means
of changing society or of purging it of dangerous enemies?
In wrestling with these issues, students should consult Rousseau’s Social Contract and
Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France as well as individual and/or group research
on the position of the various factions. Roles will be allocated in advance and more
information and instructions provided during the course. Students will be asked to write a
short reflection after the simulation on the process and their evaluation of the “result”.
Task List:
1. Read and prepare your assigned role individually.
13POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
2. Watch the French Revolution documentary.
8. Attend the two in-class simulation sessions on 20 and 22 April, 12:30pm Madrid
time (GMT+2).
PART IV: THE POST-MODERN AND POST COLONIAL MOMENT IN POLITICAL
THEORY
Hannah Arendt, © Rue des Archives/Writer Pictures; Retrieved from https://www.the-
tls.co.uk/articles/public/hannah-arendt-hierarchy-human-activity/
Module 14: Modernity and Violence
Deadline: Thursday 29 April.
Goals: Understand the main frames of understanding the role of violence in the making of
modern politics, in the manner Arendt and Fanon imagine it.
Task List
1. Read: Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition, Chapter 1, on Blackboard.
2. Read: Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks, pp. 1-14.
3. Watch, Black Skin, White Masks documentary.
4. Attend the Zoom discussion seminar on Tuesday 27 April and in-class on
Thursday 29 April, 12:30pm Madrid time (GMT+2).
Franz Fanon, Retrieved from: https://dearkitty1.wordpress.com/2006/09/29/france-remembering-anti-
colonialist-frantz-fanon-and-the-world-social-forum-in-kenya/
14POLS 1700- Foundations of Western Political Theory Spring 2021
Module 15: FINAL EXAM
Final exam will take place on Thursday 6 May, 12-2pm.
The exam revision session will take place in class on Tuesday 4 May 12:30
when we will go over the revision paper that will be sent out in advance.
ADDITIONAL COURSE READING LIST:
In addition to the course books and the additional reading provided through Blackboard as
detailed above.
A reading list of thinker specific sources will be generated as we run through the course.
Below however follows a list of other very useful introductory materials.
General Introductions:
Wolff, J. (1996) An Introduction to Political Philosophy.
Kymlicka, W. (1990) Contemporary Political Philosophy, 2nd ed. 2002.
Brown, A. (1986) Modern Political Philosophy.
Hampton, J. (1997) Political Philosophy.
Geuss, R. (2001) History and Illusion in Politics.
Swift, A. (2001) Political Philosophy: A Beginner’s Guide for Students and Politicians.
Knowles, D. (2001) Political Philosophy.
Christman, J. (2002) Social and Political Philosophy: A Contemporary Introduction.
Miller, D. (2003) Political Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction.
Robinson, D. (2003) Introducing Political Philosophy.
White, M. (2003) Political Philosophy: A Short Introduction.
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