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GOVT339
Contemporary Political Theory
GOVT339 SP
Not Currently Offered
This course examines a number of important 20th-century
theories of politics. Major issues include the role of
reason in grounding the basic values and principles of our
moral and political lives, the moral and conceptual
foundation of liberal democracy, and critiques of
liberalism from communitarian, feminist, critical theory,
and postmodern perspectives. This course, together with
govt337 and govt338, provides a survey of major Western
political theories; at least two of these courses are
recommended for students concentrating in political theory.
MAJOR READINGS
Alasdair MacIntyre, AFTER VIRTUE (Notre
Dame)
Michael Sandel, ed., LIBERALISM AND ITS CRITICS (New York
U)
Michael Walzer, SPHERES OF JUSTICE (Basic)
Jurgen Habaermas, MORAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND COMMUNICATIVE
ACTION (MIT)
Friedrich Nietzsche, THE GENEALOGY OF MORALS (Vintage)
Michel Foucault, THE FOUCAULT READER (Pantheon)
Iris Young, JUSTICE AND THE POLITICS OF DIFFERENCE
(Princeton)
EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Three short (5-7) page
papers; final.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS
The readings
listed above are examples of the kinds of texts that will
be used. Final selection of texts has not yet been made.
Please check with instructor for more up-to-date
information.
Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting
or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the
first class, they will be dropped from the class list.
NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form
to the Registrar's Office.
COURSE FORMAT: Discussion Lecture
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Level: UG Credit: 1.00
Gen Ed Area & Dept: SBS GOVT
Prerequisites:
None
Last Updated on MAR-22-1999
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Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459