Political Philosophy Spring 2011

Texts:
Class Reader (R) --- available at Copy Central, 2560 Bancroft Way

Aristotle, Politics (P)

Carl Schmitt, Political Theology (PT),
Carl Schmitt, The Concept of the Political (CP),
Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition (HC),
Hannah Arendt, On Violence (OV),
Michel Foucault, Power/Knowledge (PK)

Requirements:
1. Class attendance, 2. Section participation, 3. Three essays

Syllabus:

What is Political Philosophy?

January 19: From philosophy to political philosophy Strauss: “What is Political Philosophy?” pt. 1 (R)

January 21: Normative vs. diagnostic political thought Arendt, Intro, pp. (R)

January 24: The basic concepts of politics Arendt, “What is Politics?” (R)

January 26: Political epistemology Arendt, “Intro…” (R)

January 28: The ancients vs. the moderns Strauss, “What is Pol. Phil.?” pts. 2 and 3 (R)

Politics as rule of the polis

January 31: The care of the common (handout)

February 4: “Man is political by nature” Aristotle, P, book 1, chs. 1-2

February 7: Political pluralism Aristotle, P, book 2, ch. 1

February 9: The polis and the household Aristotle, P, book 1, chs. 3-13

February 11: Forms of political order Aristotle, P, book 3, chs. 1, 6-13

Politics as the organization of conflict

February 14: The origin of the state Hobbes, Leviathan, chs. 13-14 (R)

February 16: Liberalism Constant: “The Liberty of the Ancients” (R)

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February 18: Liberalism vs. democracy Schmitt, Crisis (R)

February 21: (President’s Day)

February 23: The Exception Schmitt, PT, pt. 1

February 25: Decisionism Schmitt, PT, pt. 2

February 28: The friend-enemy schema Schmitt, CP, 1-3

March 2: World government? Schmitt, CP, 4-8

March 4: The age of de-politicization Schmitt, “The Age of Neutralizations” (CP)

Politics as communicative (inter)action

March 7: Our newest experiences Arendt, HC, prologue

March 9: Action, work, labor Arendt, HC, ch. 1

March 11: The rise of the social Arendt, HC, ch. 2

March 14: world alienation Arendt, HC, ch. 6

March 16: Politics and violence Arendt, OV, part 2

March 18: The practice of freedom Arendt, “Introduction” (R)

March 21-25: Spring break

March 28-30: No class

Politics as exercise of power on power

April 1: The question of power Foucault, “Two Lectures,” PK

April 4: Politics and politicization Foucault, “The History of Sexuality,” PK

April 6: Power is everywhere Foucault, History of Sexuality, Pt. 1, (R)

April 8: Governmentality” Foucault, Lecture of 1 February 1978 (R)

April 11: The rise of civil society Foucault, lecture of 4 April 1979 (R)

April 13: Power and action Foucault, “The Subject and Power” (R)

April 15: New forms of friendship (handout)

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April 18: The care of the self (handout)

New challenges

April 20: Global markets Rupert Read, “Economist-kings?” (R)

April 22: Global citizenship Richard Falk, “The Making of Global Citizenship” (R)

April 25: Terrorism Joseph Margolies, “Terrorism”, (R)

April 27: The environment Arne Naess, “Politics/Ecology”, (R)

April 29: Conclusion

Essay assignments
First essay: assigned February 11; due February 23 in class

Second essay: assigned March 18; due in class April 1

Third essay: assigned April 29; due in GSI mailbox May 15