Course Description:
In this course, we will be thinking about the key ideas, concepts, and arguments in the field of political philosophy. We’ll be considering questions such as: What is the justice, what is equality, what is freedom, and how do these concepts relate to each other? What is a political community, and how should questions of autonomy, authority, collectivity, and solidarity figure in our thinking of political communities? What is oppression, and what is injustice, and what is the responsibility of the state in the face of it? How far should the power of the state extend in regulating our coexistence? What is the ideal political community?
Following these questions, we will dive into different areas of political philosophy. Starting with a module on political communities, we will think about how the ancient Greek philosophers theorized the ideal state, taking into account recent criticisms of their ideas. We will then turn to contract theory, a dominant paradigm for of conceptualizing and theorizing the legitimacy of the state springing from the Enlightenment period and think about its uses and pitfalls with more recent texts that have called the frameworks viability into question. Subsequently, we will turn to four important concepts for political philosophy––justice, liberty, equality, and oppression. Then, we will consider how our responsibility in the face of exploitative political and economic structures, and, finally, think about possible alternatives to our existing political systems.
Contacting Me
Please don’t hesitate to email me about anything related to this class. This includes but is not limited to, clarificatory questions, requests for further reading, help with assignments, explanations of extenuating circumstances, etc. I will respond to emails as quickly as I can. If I don’t respond in 48 hours for something urgent, please send me a follow-up email. I will be slower responding to emails in the evening and during the weekend. I also encourage you to come to my office hours! I am looking forward to getting to know you better and hearing about what you’re interested in. If you would like to meet outside my normal office hours, let me know and we can schedule a meeting.
