CC203: Foundations of the Social Sciences
Faculty: Aaron Garrett (CAS 538, MWF 3-4); Thomas Glick (CAS 323A, Tu Th 2-3:30); James
Johnson (CAS 216, MWF 10-11); Stephen Kalberg, (CAS 221, Tu Th 9:30); Bernard Prusak
(CAS 114B, MWF 1-2); Parker Shipton (CAS 323A, Tu Th 11-12:30); David Swartz (CAS 212,
MWF 9-10); Jon Westling (CAS 116, MWF 2-3).
Foundations of the Social Sciences explores the origins of the social sciences in the earlymodern period, Enlightenment, and nineteenth century. Over the course of the semester we will
examine works by a number of penetrating commentators on politics, economics, class, and
religion, whom have shaped contemporary ideas about politics and society. Themes will include
social contract theory, legitimacy, democracy, economic justice, and religion.
Grades will be determined by your seminar leader. They will be based on a combination of
written work, examinations, and class participation. The final exam will count for 25%, the
remaining proportions are left up to your seminar leader. The final exam will be created by the
entire CC203 faculty, and will include questions based on lectures, seminar discussions, and
readings. Attendance at all lectures is required and is essential for success in the course.
The Core Writing Center is available for help throughout the semester. Writing Tutors are
graduate and undergraduate students who have been trained in grammar and compositional skills
and are familiar with the works we read in the Core. To make an appointment with a tutor, stop
by the Core Office (CAS 119) or call 353-5404. Tutors’ offices are in the Core Office.
We expect that the work on which you are evaluated is your own. Taking credit for someone
else’s work, in any way, shape, or form is plagiarism, and will be punished by an F for the
assignment with possible more severe sanctions by the University Academic Conduct Committee.
The Boston University Conduct Code describes plagiarism as including each of the following:
“copying the answers of another student on an examination, copying or substantially restating the
work of another person or persons in any oral or written work without citing the appropriate
source, and collaboration with someone else in academic endeavor without acknowledging his or
her contribution” (p. 2). A more detailed discussion with examples appears on pp. 9-14 of the
Code. It is your responsibility to read these pages carefully and know exactly what constitutes
plagiarism.
Required Texts are available at the Boston University Bookstore:
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (Hackett)
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origins of Inequality (Everyman)
John Locke, Second Treatise on Government (Hackett)
Adam Smith, Theory of Moral Sentiments (Liberty)
Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations (Liberty)
Montesquieu, Selected Political Writings (Hackett)
Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America (Hackett)
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Marx/Engels Reader (Norton)
Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Roxbury)
Emile Durkheim, Suicide (The Free Press)
Sigmund Freud, Civilization and its Discontents (Norton)
Schedule of Lectures and Readings
9/9 Hobbes, Leviathan, 1-27, 57-63, 74-146
Lecturer: Richard Tuck
9/16 Locke, Second Treatise on Government
Lecturer: James Schmidt
9/23 Montesquieu, Selected Political Writings, 55-83, 106-228
Lecturer: Jon Westling
9/30 Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Second Discourse
Lecturer: Parker Shipton
10/7 Adam Smith, Theory of Moral Sentiments, 9-91, 109-113, 171-193
Lecturer: Ian Simpson-Ross
10/14 Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations, 10-36, 47-55, 72-81, 276-85, 330-49, 376-80, 411-27,
452-57, 689-99, 707-15, 723, 781-97
Lecturer: Aaron Garrett
10/ 21 Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1-15, 73-146
Lecturer: Jim Johnson
10/28 Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 146-195, 201-14, 224-28, 248-58, 281-319
Lecturer: TBA
11/ 4 Marx, Marx-Engels Reader (12-15, 70-93, 143-5, 218-219, 469-500, 542-8, 734-59)
Lecturer: Stephen Kalberg
11/9 (Tuesday) Weber, Protestant Ethic
Lecturer: Stephen Kalberg
11/18 Durkheim, Suicide, 35-59, 41-52, 145-70, 177-180, 208-223, 227-8, 241-58, 260-76, 297300, 321-25
Lecturer: David Swartz
11/25 Thanksgiving Vacation – No Lecture
12/2 Freud, Civilization and its Discontents
Lecturer: Thomas Glick
12/9 End of the semester Roundtable Discussion
Final Exam -- TBA