Contemporary

Political Theory
Spring 2017
GOVT 409/609
TF 12:55-2:10 pm, Ward 205
Instructor: Sarah L. Houser, PhD
Office: Ward 215
Email: houser@american.edu
Office Hours: T 2:15-3:30pm; W 3-4pm
And by Appointment

This course examines important works in political theory from the mid twentieth century to the present, with
an eye to the tension between providing justice and respecting difference. Themes and schools of thought to
be addressed include egalitarian liberalism, libertarianism, conservatism, communitarianism,
multiculturalism, postmodernism, and environmentalism.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Identify and Explain the major schools of thought which characterize political theory in the late
20th and early 21st century;
2. Demonstrate the ability to use critical tools necessary to read fundamental texts in political
philosophy;
3. Understand the tension between the pursuit of justice and respect for difference which is at the
root of much disagreement in contemporary political theory.
4. Analyze and Debate the claims of justice underlying contemporary public policy issues.
5. Give examples of the way philosophical arguments are used in contemporary political debate.

REQUIRED TEXTS:
All readings for this course will be available on Blackboard. However, I would suggest that you may want to
obtain a print copy of the following books as we will be reading substantial sections of them.

Charles Taylor, Multiculturalism: Examining the Politics of Recognition, Princeton UP, 1994.
Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, University of Notre Dame Press, 1984.
Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, Verso Books, 2005.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Close reading of the assigned texts before class
It is extremely important for students to read carefully the assigned reading for each class period and
come prepared to discuss it.

2. Active and thoughtful participation in class
Part of your grade in this class is based on participation. This includes class attendance, punctuality,
coming prepared to class, and bringing your text to class as well as contributing to our in-class discussion.

3. Quizzes
Students will be required to complete one Blackboard quiz each week. This quiz will be posted on
Blackboard after class on Friday and must be completed before class the following Tuesday. There will be
no quizzes due on Exam days. At the end of the semester each students lowest quiz grade will be dropped
before the final grade is calculated.

4. In-Class Exams:
Students will be required to take two in-class exams during the course of the semester. If a student has an
excused absence on the day of the exam (illness with a doctor's note or official university excuse), then he
or she may make up the exam at a later date, provided that he or she informs the professor before the
time of the exam. Vacation plans or flights are not a sufficient reason for rescheduling an exam.

5. Final Essay:
Students will write a final essay on one of several assigned topics. This essay will be due at the scheduled
final exam time for this class. All final essays should be submitted via Blackboard.

6. Group Presentations:
Each student will be assigned to one of four groups. Each group must find an opinion piece published in a
major news outlet (if you are not sure that a particular piece qualifies email me and ask) which uses
arguments similar to (or the same as) those offered by the authors we have read up to that point. The
group must email the entire class the piece they have selected no later than midnight two days before
their scheduled presentation. The group must write a summary of the argument of the piece and identify
the specific points of similarity between it and the class readings. The group must then present their
findings to the rest of the class on the day indicated on the syllabus. The group must be prepared to
answer questions about their presentation. All the students in the group will receive on grade for their
presentation and may divide up the work however they like.

GRADING:
The following formula will be used to calculate students grades.

Class participation 10%
Quizzes 15%
Group Presentation 20%
Exams 30%
Final Essay 25%

You will be graded on the traditional undergraduate A-F scale. There is some variation in what these grades
mean to various instructors, so here's a brief guide:

A 94-100
A- 90-93
B+ 87-89
B 84-86
B- 80-83
C+ 77-79
C 74-76
C- 70-73
D 60-69
F Below 60

Grades will be posted on Blackboard as soon as they are available. If the average of grades in the class on an
exam is below 84 a curve may be implemented at my discretion.

EXTRA CREDIT
Extra credit in the form of points added to a students first exam grade is available. To qualify for extra credit
you must (1) attend either a Political Theory Institute scheduled lecture OR a cultural or education event on or
off campus which relates to the theme of the course. (2) Write a short 1-2 page reflection on the event. This
reflection should include a brief summary of the event but should mostly consist of your reflections on the
ideas presented. (3) Provide some proof of your attendance. For PTI events this means you should check in
with me at the event. For other events a program or a ticket stub, etc. will be acceptable. You must submit the
relevant materials to me on Blackboard no more than one week after the event. Extra credit points will be
given out on the basis of the quality of a students reflection paper. Only one extra credit assignment will be
counted for each student, although multiple attempts may be made.


ABSENCES AND LATE WORK
Students are permitted only three unexcused absences. For each additional unexcused absence the students
participation grade will be reduced by 3 points. 7 or more unexcused absences will result in administrative
failure of the course. Excused absences include illness for which medical treatment was sought or an official
AU function. Documentation must be presented for all excused absences. Make-up exams will be given at the
discretion of the professor.

Please email me only to inform me of excused absences and provide documentation. If you are taking one of
your allowed unexcused absences there is no need to inform me.

Extensions for written work will be considered on a case by case basis. Extensions must ALWAYS be
requested BEFORE the class time on the day the assignment is due. Work which is not submitted on-time will
be penalized 1/3 of a letter grade for every day it is late. Papers which are never submitted will receive a zero.



ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Students are expected to read and abide by AUs Academic Integrity Code. Copies of the Code are available at
http://www.american.edu/american/registrar/ AcademicReg/ New/ reg80.html and the Registrars Office.
The Code provides AUs policies about academic dishonesty and plagiarism. These include, but are not limited
to, plagiarism, cheating on exams, multiple submissions, and unauthorized collaboration. By registering for
this course, you have acknowledged your awareness of the Academic Integrity Code. You are obliged to
become familiar with your rights and responsibilities as defined by the Code. Standards of academic integrity
are strictly observed in this class and violations will be followed up rigorously.

REMINDER: According to the Academic Integrity Code suspected violations must be submitted to the Dean of
the School of Public Affairs for adjudication. The Dean will determine if a violation has taken place and assign
appropriate punishment.

ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM RULES AND NOTES:
- Turn off your cell phones during class. Ringing cell phones during class are extremely distracting to me and
other students.
- The use of Laptops computers is permitted for the purposes of reading electronic texts and taking notes. Any
other use of laptop computers is not permitted.
- DO NOT TEXT. If there is an emergency that you need to respond to or be available for please exit the class
room to make your calls or texts.
- Be respectful of the professor and other students. I hope that we will have many lively discussions in this
class, but I expect these to be conducted with civility. Ad hominem attacks are a sure sign that you are losing
an argument. Provocative and controversial positions should be welcomed in class as part of the learning
process. Labels such as racist, sexist, and homophobic often serve to short circuit argumentation and
silence ones opponent through intimidation. Please try to avoid using these sorts of labels.
- Keep you sense of humor. Sarcasm, jokes and exaggerations for effect will all be found in my lectures. Count
to ten and think before you take offense.
- IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ASK!


COURSE SCHEDULE:

Jan 17 Introduction
Jan 20 No Class (Inauguration)
Jan 24 John Rawls, Justice as Fairness
Jan 27 Rawls Continued
Jan 31 Robert Nozick, Anarchy, State and Utopia, selections
Feb 3 Nozick Continued
Feb 7 Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, Chapter 2 and 14
Group 1 Presentation
Feb 10 Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, Chapter 15
Feb 14 Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, Chapter 17
Feb 17 Exam 1
Feb 21 Amy Gutmann, Introduction and Charles Taylor The Politics of Recognition, sec. 1-3
Feb 24 Charles Taylor, The Politics of Recognition, sec. 4-5
Feb 28 Taylor Continued
Group 2 Presentation
Mar 3 John Rawls, The Idea of Public Reason Revisited
Mar 7 Joshua Cohen, Deliberation and Democratic Legitimacy
Mar 10 Cohen continued
Mar 14 Spring Break
Mar 17 Spring Break
Mar 21 Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox
Mar 24 Chantal Mouffe continued
Mar 28 Chantal Mouffe continued
Group 3
Mar 31 Exam 2
Apr 4 Michael Oakeshott, Rationalism and Politics
Apr 7 Oakeshott continued
Apr 11 Pierre Manent, Democracy without Nations
Apr 14 Class cancelled
Apr 18 Pierre Manent continued
Apr 21 Wendell Berry, Economy and Pleasure
Apr 25 Wendell Berry, Feminism, the Body and the Machine
Group 4
Apr 28 Conclusion
May 5 Final Essay Due by 2:00 pm


DISABILITY, ACADEMIC, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT SERVICES

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please notify me in a timely manner with a letter
from the Academic Support Center or Disability Support Services so that we can make arrangements to
address your needs. If your accommodations allow you to take exams in the testing center and you wish to
avail yourself of that opportunity please make your appointment as soon as possible. To register with a
disability or for questions about disability accommodations, contact the Academic Support and Access Center
at 202-885-3360 or asac@american.edu, or drop by ASAC in MGC 243.

If you experience difficulty in this course for any reason, please do not hesitate to consult with me. In addition
to the resources within your department, a wide range of services is available to support you in your efforts to
meet course requirements.

Academic Support & Access Center MGC 243, 202-885-3360 supports the academic development and
educational goals of all AU students while also providing support to students with disabilities. We offer
workshops on topics of interest to all students such as managing the college workload, stress management,
time management note taking, critical thinking, memory skills, and test taking. Additional support includes
free private and group tutoring in many subjects, supplemental instruction, The Math Lab and The Writing
Lab are also available.

Counseling Center MGC 214, 202-885-3500 is here to help students make the most of your university
experience, both personally and academically. We offer individual and group counseling, urgent care, self-help
resources, referrals to private care, as well as programming to help you gain the skills and insights needed to
overcome adversity and thrive while you are in college. Contact the Counseling Center to make an
appointment in person or by telephone, or visit the Counseling Center page on the AU website for additional
information.

The Writing Center First floor of Bender Library, offers free, individual coaching sessions to all AU
students. In your 45-minute session, a student writing consultant can help you address your assignments,
understand the conventions of academic writing, and learn how to revise and edit your own work. Hours: 11
a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. Call 202-885-2991 to arrange a
session. Meanwhile find handouts, information, and a weekly writer's blog at the Writing Center website and
on Facebook.

International Student & Scholar Services, Batelle 4th Butler Pavilion, Rm. 410. Resources to support
academic success and participation in campus life including academic counseling, support for second language
learners response to questions about visas, immigration status and employment and intercultural programs,
clubs and resources.

American University expressly prohibits any form of discriminatory harassment including sexual harassment,
dating and domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The university is an equal opportunity, affirmative
action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability,
marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation,
source of income, veteran status, an individual's genetic information or any other bases under federal or local
laws in its programs and activities.

If you experience any of the above, you have the option of filing a report with the AU Department of Public Safety
(202-885-2527) or the Office of the Dean of Students (dos@american.edu or 202-885-3300). Please keep in mind
that all faculty and staff with the exception of counselors in the Counseling Center, staff in the Office of Advocacy
Services for Interpersonal and Sexual Violence, medical providers in the Student Health Center, and ordained
clergy in the Kay Spiritual Life Center who are aware of or witness this conduct are required to report this
information to the university, regardless of the location of the incident. For more information, including a list of
supportive resources on and off-campus, contact OASIS: The Office of Advocacy Services for Interpersonal and
Sexual Violence (www.american.edu/sexualassault, oasis@american.edu or 202-885-7070), or the Office of the
Dean of Student (www.american.edu/ocl/dos)


Emergency Preparedness:
In an emergency, AU will use the communication tools the university has at its disposal in as timely a manner
as possible using AU Alerts. These messages will provide information on what is happening, what to do, and
links to available additional information. Should the university be required to close for a period of time, faculty
will communicate class-specific information to students via AU e-mail and Blackboard, while students must
inform their faculty immediately of any absence due to illness. Students are responsible for checking their AU
e-mail regularly and keeping themselves informed of emergencies. Our communication tools include text and
email alerts, the university's home page, Facebook, and Twitter, the general information line 202-885-1100,
indoor yellow AlertUs emergency beacon boxes and outdoor speakers located throughout campus. You can
customize whether you receive alerts as e-mail and/or text messages. Add additional work or home phone
numbers and e-mail addresses so AU Alerts reach you no matter where you are when an emergency occurs.
Website: http://www.american.edu/emergency/