POLS201-14S1 (C) Semester One 2014

Political Theory: Classics in Political Philosophy

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 24 February 2014
End Date: Sunday, 29 June 2014
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 9 March 2014
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 25 May 2014

Description

This course is an introduction to the history of political philosophy. It will focus on a number of topics including Machiavelli's The Prince, early modern constitutionalism, the invention of the modern state, the theory of sovereignty, political reason, the origins of social science, liberty and utilitarianism. The individual theorists who will be discussed include Bodin, Filmer, Locke, Hume, Burke, Bentham, and Marx.

The course uses the methods of the disciplines of history of political thought, political theory, and political philosophy to introduce students to the different ways in which key texts in the modern period have discussed and shaped our views of politics. So, for instance, we will discuss Locke’s view of the origin of political authority as a response to the travails of English politics during and following the English civil war (which is its historical setting), and as one of the great opening claims in political philosophy that a political authority should only hold power if it has the consent of the people.

All basic course materials can be found on the course Learn page. Should students not have access to the internet, they should see the lecturer on the first day of the course.  Chronologically, the course will cover the major political theories of Western Europe from the Renaissance period until the end of the Nineteenth Century. Each topic will be accompanied by an assigned reading. Each week you will be expected to do some reading (between 30 to 60 pages a week). This will include the text, and, if necessary, some secondary material.

Prerequisites

15 points in POLS at 100-level. Students not meeting the prerequisites but with at least a B average in 60 points in appropriate courses may be admitted to take Political Science courses at the 200-level with the approval of the Department Co-ordinator.

Restrictions

Equivalent Courses

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Participation 10%
Weekly Question 10%
Essay Outline & Hypothesis 5% discussed with lecturer before end of week 3.
Test 15% 1 hour - last class of term 1.
Essay 30% due end of week 9
Final Exam 30%

Additional Course Outline Information

Where to submit and collect work

Essay boxes are located on the 5th floor Locke, outside the POLS office, Locke 501.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $670.00

International fee $2,850.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .

All POLS201 Occurrences

  • POLS201-14S1 (C) Semester One 2014