PLSC 306: Contemporary Political Thought
Instructor: Laurel Sprague
Office hours: M 3:30-5:00, Sweetwater Café, Cross Street
By appointment
Office location: 601E Pray-Harrold
Email: lspragu2@emich.edu
Winter 2014
Class hours: M/W 2:00-3:15
Class location: 167 McKenny
Office phone: 734 487 6970
If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs,
it's best to eat the biggest one first.
MARK TWAIN
I would like to say to the diligent reader of my writings and to others who are interested in them that I
am not at all concerned with appearing to be consistent. In my search after Truth I have discarded many
ideas and learnt many new things… therefore, when anybody finds any inconsistency between any two
writings of mine, if he has still faith in my sanity, he would do well to choose the later of the two on the
same subject.
M. K. GANDHI
This class provides an examination of contemporary political theory, starting from a close examination
of the influential thought of John Rawls, Michel Foucault, and Jurgen Habermas and studying the ways in
which their works have been used, expanded and critiqued. Adding to these major influences, important
contributions from the fields of feminist thought, linguistics, and pluralism are explored. These
fundamentals of contemporary political thought provide a rich context from which to draw as we turn,
in the second half of the class, to specific applications of political theory to particular concerns relevant
to contemporary politics, including equality, democracy, multiculturalism, identity, the role of the state,
democracy, the body politic and the human body, paranoia, and privacy.
Required Text
John Dryzek, Bonnie Honig, and Anne Phillips. 2006. The Oxford Handbook of Political Theory.
Course Requirements
Students are expected to read the texts closely before each class period and come prepared to ask
questions and discuss each author’s propositions about such things as politics, government, human
nature, family, religion, liberty, property, justice, and responsibility. Some of these texts are difficult so
plan ahead and give yourself more time for reading than you usually would. As a rule of thumb for
university classes, students should plan 2 hours of time outside of class for every 1 hour of class time.
Your grade in the class will be based on the following:
Participation
10%
Students are expected to come to class having completed the readings and prepared to engage in
discussions. Participation points are based less on the quantity of your contributions than on your
ability to ask meaningful questions and listen and respond respectfully to your fellow students, and your
willingness to try on new ideas and critically evaluate multiple viewpoints. Participation points will be
deducted if students attempt to monopolize the class, treat others with disrespect, or cut off the
contributions from other students.
Short writing responses
20%
Each student is required to select two chapters from the book and write a 3-4 page response paper to
that chapter. In addition to the written response, each student will select one of these chapters to
present a 5-minute overview of key points and a related question to the class at the beginning of the
class period when the chapter is to be discussed.
Midterm Exam
30%
Short answer and essay exam. You will be provided with a study guide before the exam.
Final Paper
40%
Final papers must be 10 to 12 pages in length and address an issue of political theory and one or more
(usually two) of the political theorists studied in class. You must get approval from the professor for your
paper topic. Part of your final grade will include turning in your paper topic on time and turning in your
list of sources on time. See the Reading Schedule for due dates. Instructions for the paper will be
provided.
Grading Scale
A
93-100 percent
B-
80-82.9 percent
D+
67-69.9 percent
A-
90-92.9 percent
C+
77-79.9 percent
D
63-66.9 percent
B+
87-89.9 percent
C
73-76.9 percent
D-
60-62.9 percent
B
83-86.9 percent
C-
70-72.9 percent
F
<59.9 percent
Communicating with the Instructor
It will be easiest to contact me via email. If you need to speak with me during my office hours, call 734
487 6970. If you need to speak to someone at another time, contact the political science department
office at: 734 487 3113.
You are urged to use your EMU email address. I will use the EMU email addresses if I need to
communicate information to the class, for example, if there is an unexpected class cancellation. If you
choose to communicate with me using another email address, identify yourself clearly in the subject
line. You should know that I delete messages when I do not know the sender to protect my system from
email viruses.
Discussion Guidelines
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Listen closely to one another. This includes trying to verify that you understand what the other
person is saying, particularly when you disagree.
Speak respectfully, in agreement and disagreement. Do not interrupt each other.
Allow each other to change. No one is bound to any one statement. Anyone can change her or
his mind.
General Guidelines for Behavior in College Classrooms
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Turn off your cell phone and computer before class starts.
If you need to leave early, let the instructor know ahead of time.
Arrive a few minutes before class so that class can start on time without interruptions.
Do not engage in side conversations during lectures and discussions.
Do not read newspapers, magazines, web pages, or any other materials not related to class
during class time.
Arrive ready to discuss the day’s topic and readings.
Use class email addresses and instructors’ email addresses only for class-related questions and
information.
If you are absent, it is your responsibility to get the information from the class you missed from
another student. Make friends.
Accessibility
If you have a disability and are registered with the Student s with Disabilities office, please see me
during the first week of class. We will set up a meeting to determine how we can best work together to
ensure that you are able to fully and fairly participate in all aspects of the class. Please bring your
paperwork from EAS to our meeting. To contact the Students with Disabilities Office, go to
http://www.emich.edu/drc/index.html.
Academic Honesty
Students are expected to know and abide by all University rules on academic honesty and deportment.
If you are uncertain of your responsibilities as a student, consult the Student Conduct Code. The full text
is available at http://www.emich.edu/policies/chapter8/8-1_policy.pdf. Any violation of provisions on
academic honesty will be prosecuted to the full extent allowable.
Here are some examples of the kinds of actions that constitute academic dishonesty:
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1
“Plagiarizing—willfully presenting the language, ideas, or thoughts of another person as one’s
original work;
Revealing the form or content of an examination or quiz; attempting to secure a copy of or
information about a future examination or quiz without authorization from the instructor;
Copying another’s answers in an in-class or take-home examination, paper, laboratory work, or
class assignment; using crib notes, prepared blue books, or other types of unauthorized
materials;
Discussing answers during an in-class examination or a take-home examination without the
instructor’s permission;
Submitting work completed for a previous course for a subsequent course without the
permission of the instructor; submitting the same paper in two or more concurrent courses
without the informed consent of the instructors;
Stealing, damaging, or concealing materials or equipment necessary to the academic well-being
of the college community, such as library books, computer files, and audiovisual equipment.”1
These examples are taken from Washington College’s Honor code: http://catalog.washcoll.edu/17_honor.html
Registration Information and Dates
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Incomplete grades are not a matter of right. An "I" grade will be granted only in the most highly
unusual circumstances. University policy requires all incompletes to be completed within one
year.
University policy requires the instructor's signature for dropping a class after the drop/add
period. In addition, instructors are required to note whether the student is failing at the time
the class is dropped. I reserve the right to exercise the discretion given to me under University
policy and not approve a drop request.
If you need to drop this class, you must do so by the official drop date. If you fail to drop this
class officially by the last official drop date and you are failing to class, you will be given a grade
of F for the course.
NOTE: The University (as per federal guidelines) requires all instructors to indicate whether any
students who received an F grade stopped attending classes. If you stop attending the class and
receive an F, your financial aid may be at risk.
Disclaimer: I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus, examination, and/or grading policy if
required during the course of the semester.
READING SCHEDULE
Week 1
January 6 and 8
Introduction
Chapter 2
Week 2
Justice and John Rawls
January 13 and 15
Chapter 2
Rawls, cont.
Chapter 3
Power and Michel Foucault
Week 3
Chapter 3
Week 4
Chapter 4
Week 5
Chapter 5
Week 6
January 20 and 22 MLK Day Holiday – No class on January 20
Foucault, cont.
January 27 and 29
Critical Theory and Jurgen Habermas
February 3 and 5
Feminist Theory
February 10 and 12
Chapter 6
Linguistics, Post-structuralism, and Liberal Pragmatism
Chapter 7
Pluralist Theory
Week 7
Chapter 7
Week 8
February 17 and 19 Midterm Exam on February 19
Pluralism, cont.
February 24 and 26 Winter Recess – No classes
Week 9
March 3 and 5
Chapter 10
Republicanism
Chapter 11
Modernity
Week 10
March 10 and 12 Paper Topics Due on March 12
Chapter 14
Confucianism and Anglo-American Political Theory
Chapter 15
American Exceptionalism
Chapter 16
Islamic Political Theory
Week 11
March 17 and 19
Chapter 18
Emergency Powers
Chapter 20
Civil Society and the State
Chapter 21
Democracy and the State
Week 12
March 24 and 26 Paper Source List Due on March 26
Chapter 25
Recognition and Redistribution
Chapter 26
Equality and Difference
Chapter 28
Historical Injustice
Week 13
March 31 and April 2
Chapter 30
Multiculturalism and Its Critics
Chapter 32
Moral Universalism and Cultural Difference
Week 14
April 7 and 9
Chapter 33
Human Rights
Chapter 36
Multiculturalism and Post-colonial Theory
Week 15
April 14 and 16
Chapter 40
Paranoia
Chapter 37
Politicizing the Body
Week 16
Chapter 38
April 21
Privacy
Wednesday, April 23, 3:00 Final Paper Due