POLT 134 - Political Theory Live: Thinking in Practice

FC SSCI

4 credits
Political reflection doesn’t start in books. It starts in the world-on the street, among friends, on talk shows and in newspapers, and in legislatures among other places. In this course we will take theory live. We will find it in the world and reflect upon it, using particular texts as touchstones to think about such themes as virtue, power, justice and freedom. Our aim is to establish the relevance of political thinking not just as an academic pursuit, but as an everyday activity. Likely texts include Plato’s Republic, Hobbes’ Leviathan, Arendt’s The Human Condition, and Foucault’s Discipline and Punish.
This course is appropriate for new students.