POLT 136 - Authority and Rule: An Introductory Survey

FC SSCI

4 credits
This course provides an introductory survey of key questions in political theory with a thematic focus on the concept of authority. The central wager of this course is that the concept of authority is what gives the discipline and domain of politics its distinctive coherence. Consequently, this course treats political theory as the study of claims to and contestations over relations of authority. In engaging with diverse theories of authority, we will ask: How is authority legitimized? Is authority always oppressive? Are there forms of authority to be desired? How can authority be challenged?

This course is appropriate for new students.