Political Theory
Course Overview
Political theory examines the concepts through which political life is understood, the assumptions that sustain those concepts, and the normative claims made about political order. Moving beyond the study of institutions, parties, elections, and current events, the course asks more fundamental questions: Why does the state exist? What distinguishes power from authority? What makes a political order legitimate? How is sovereignty constituted? Do law and justice necessarily point in the same direction? How should liberty, equality, and property be related? Is democracy reducible to majority rule? The course approaches political theory as the conceptual and normative ground of political inquiry, bringing political concepts, institutions, relations of power, and competing arguments into a common analytical frame. Its purpose is not to provide ready-made political answers, but to enable students to identify how political concepts are constructed, distinguish the assumptions on which arguments rest, compare theoretical traditions, and use these tools to evaluate contemporary political questions.
Key Themes
The Nature of Political Theory Human Nature, Individual, and Society State and Sovereignty Power, Authority, and Legitimacy Law, Justice, and Rights Citizenship and Political Obligation Democracy, Representation, and the Public Sphere Liberty, Equality, and Social Justice Property, Markets, and Capitalism Identity, Difference, and Recognition
Learning Objectives
- Explain the central concepts and arguments of political theory.
- Distinguish the structure and conditions of normative political arguments.
- Evaluate political approaches, texts, and speeches through conceptual analysis.
- Relate political concepts to one another across different theoretical traditions.
- Classify foundational texts and use them to interpret contemporary political questions.
Course Structure
I
What Is Political Theory? — What does political theory study?
II
The Political: Human Nature, Individual, and Society — What assumptions underlie political order?
III
The Nature of the State: Coercion, Consent, and Institutions — Why does the state exist?
IV
Sovereignty and Modern Political Order — How is sovereignty constituted?
V
Power, Authority, and Legitimacy — What makes power legitimate?
VI
Law, Justice, and Political Order — Are law and justice the same?
VII
Rights, Citizenship, and Political Obligation — When should one obey, and when should one resist?
VIII
Democracy, Representation, and Majority Rule — Is democracy simply majority rule?
IX
The Public Sphere and the Public Good — Why does public deliberation matter?
X
Liberty: Liberal and Republican Approaches — Is freedom merely the absence of interference?
XI
Equality and Social Justice — Why do we seek equality?
XII
Property, Markets, and Capitalism — Is property a form of freedom?
XIII
Identity, Difference, and Recognition — What is the politics of difference?
XIV
From Concepts to Contemporary Debates — How do political concepts shape political thinking?