Political Science 201: Introduction to Political Theory
University of Washington, Fall 2015
Lecture MW 9:00 – 10:20
Smith Hall 120
Professor: Kirstine Taylor
kst@u.washington.edu
Office: Gowen 45
Office hours: Tuesdays, 4-6PM
Course Website: https://canvas.uw.edu/courses/992437
Course Description & Objectives
Course Description:
Political theory is centrally concerned with the study of concepts that have come to
structure our thinking about public life: the nature of political community, the
relationship of the individual to the state, and the obligations and responsibilities that
citizens owe one another in a polity. After an introductory section on Sophocles’
Antigone, Parts I & II of the course focus on questions of political liberty in the making
of the state: What is the relationship between political liberty and the modern state? What
are the rights and duties of citizens? How does this modern state seek to protect
individual freedom and rights? Does political liberalism give one the tools with which to
resist political domination? In Parts III & IV of the course, we focus on the concept of
the individual, asking: What status should the individual be accorded, and what is the
relationship between individualism and various forms of social power and domination?
We will engage these questions and others through critical analysis of texts central to the
Western tradition of political thought. Students are encouraged to approach these texts
with the dual perspectives of understanding what might have motivated the authors in
their historical context, while also considering how their insights inform our
understanding of present day political concerns.
Objectives:
1. To develop a grounding in the central concepts, arguments, and thinkers in
Western political theory
2. To develop an appreciation for how political theory informs the study of politics
and political science
3. To improve personal skills in spoken deliberation and analytical argumentation
4. To improve personal skills in analytical, interpretive, and critical writing
5. To develop practices in applying critical thinking to students’ own political and
social lives
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Requirements and Assessment
1. Thoughtful and sustained class participation. Students are expected to
complete the assigned readings before lecture, to arrive to sections on time and
prepared for discussion, and to interact respectfully with their instructor and
fellow students. Participation is worth 20% of the final grade.
2. One Response Paper. Students will write a short response (1-2 pages in length)
to Antigone. The response will be graded on a credit/no credit basis and is worth
5% of the final grade.
3. Two Analytic Notes. Students will complete two analytic notes (approx. 3 pages
in length) on core concepts in appropriate texts, which will help them prepare for
writing papers. Information about analytic notes will be posted on the course
website. Analytic notes are worth 10% each, or 20% together, of the final grade.
4. Two Papers. Students will complete two papers (approx. 7 pages in length),
responding to prompts distributed on the course website during the quarter. Paper
1 is worth 25% of your grade; Paper 2 is worth 30% of your grade grade.
Grade breakdown:
Class Participation:
Antigone Response:
Analytic Note 1
Analytic Note 2
Paper 1:
Paper 2:
20%
5%
10%
10%
25%
30%
Schedule of deadlines:
Antigone Response: Due Thursday, October 7th
Analytic Note 1: Due Thursday, October 22nd
Paper 1: Due Friday, November 6th
Analytic Note 2: Due Thursday, November 19th
Paper 2: Due Wednesday, December 16th
Required Texts
Sophocles, ANTIGONE
John Locke, SECOND TREATISE OF GOVERNMENT
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, DISCOURSE ON THE ORIGINS OF INEQUALITY
John Stuart Mill, ON LIBERTY
W.E.B. Du Bois, THE SOULS OF BLACK FOLK
All other course materials (including recommended readings) can be found on the course
website. Books are available at UW Bookstore, at other booksellers, and at the UW
libraries. Note that if you plan on using library copies of books, they can take time to
become available or may require you to request the book from another library.
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Course Schedule
* = reading available on course website
Introductions: What Is Political Theory and What is it for?
Wed, September 30: Introducing the course and introducing political theory
Mon, October 5:
Read: Sophocles, Antigone
Wed, October 7:
Read: Sophocles, Antigone
Response to Antigone Due Thursday, October 8th in Section
I. Contracts: Political Liberty and the Modern State
Questions for Parts I & II: What is the relationship between political liberty and the
modern state? How does this modern state seek to protect individual freedom and rights?
Does political liberalism give one the tools with which to resist political domination?
Mon, October 12:
Read: Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Introduction and chapters 13,
14, 17, 18*
Wed, October 14:
Read: John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, chapters 16
Mon, October 19:
Read: John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, chapters 7, 9,
11, 13, 19
II. Rethinking Political Liberalism in Critical Terms
Wed, October 21:
Read: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origins of
Inequality, Part I
Analytic Note 1 Due Thursday, October 22nd in section
Mon, October 26:
Read: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origins of
Inequality, Part II
Prompt for Paper 1 distributed. Check course website.
Wed, October 28:
Read: Carole Pateman, from The Sexual Contract, “Contract, the
Individual, and Slavery”*
Mon, November 2:
Read: Charles Mills, from The Racial Contract, “Introduction” and
“Details,” pages 41-62*
Wed, November 4:
No assigned readings.
Paper 1 Due Friday, November 6th 4PM
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III. Individualism and Domination
Questions for Parts III & IV: What status should be accorded to “the individual” – and
what is the relationship between individualism and various forms of social power and
domination? How far may the state go in restricting individual liberty for the purpose of
preventing harm? What sorts of forces advance or inhibit the cause of individualism?
How might social power actually create the individuals it seeks to protect?
Mon, November 9:
Read: Emanual Kant, “What Is Enlightenment?”*
Read: John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, chapter 2
Wed, November 11: Veteran’s Day. No class and no assigned reading.
Mon, November 16: Read: John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, chapters 3-4
IV. Rethinking Individualism and Domination: Class, Race, Discipline
Wed, November 18: Read: Karl Marx, from Eocnomic and Philospophic Manuscripts
of 1844, “Alienated Labor”*
Analytic Note 2 Due Thursday, November 19th In Section
Mon, November 23: Read: Karl Marx, from Capital, “The Fetishization of
Commodities and the Secret Thereof”*
Wed, November 25: Thanksgiving Break. No class and no assigned readings.
Mon, December 2:
Read: W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk, Forethought and
chapters 1-2
Wed, December 4:
Read: W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk, chapter 8
Mon, December 7:
Read: Michel Foucault, from Discipline and Punish, “The Body of
the Condemned” and “Docile Bodies”*
Prompt for Paper 2 distributed. Check course website.
Wed, December 9:
Read: Michel Foucault, from Discipline and Punish, “The Means
of Correct Training” and “Panopticism”*
Paper 2 due Wednesday, December 16th 4PM
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Grading Policies
Paper assessment guide: Written work in the A (3.5-4.0) range is characterized by a
strikingly perceptive, persuasive, and creative analytical claim; comprehensive synthesis
and analysis of the course material; straightforward yet sophisticated organization of
thoughts and error-free prose. Written work in the B (2.5-3.4) range is characterized by
sound, original, and reasonably thoughtful argument/thesis statement; competent analysis
of various course material, logical organization; and clear and error-free prose. Written
work in the C (1.5-2.4) range is characterized by a relatively underdeveloped, simplistic,
or derivative argument/thesis statement; partial, inconsistent, or faulty analysis of course
material; convoluted organization; and awkward, imprecise, or otherwise distracting
prose. Written work in the D (0.7-2.3) range is characterized by incoherent or extremely
confusing argument; superficial or fleeting engagement with the course material; chaotic
or irrational organization; and error-riddled prose. Written work that lacks any argument
or analysis and is sloppy, earns an F (0.6 and below).
Grade Conversion. Written work will receive grades on the 4.0 scale. The following is
this course’s letter grade to 4.0-scale conversion chart, which conforms to the Political
Science Department’s scale:
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
3.9-4.0
3.6-3.8
3.5
3.2-3.4
2.8-3.1
2.5-2.7
2.2-2.4
1.9-2.1
1.5-1.8
1.2-1.4
1.0-1.2
0.7-0.9
0.6 and below
Late Policy. Uncompleted or missing papers will receive a grade of 0.0. Late
assignments will be docked 0.3 per day. That is: 3.5 paper, if turned in past the deadline,
will become a 3.2, if turned in one full day late, will receive a 2.9, and so on. Exceptions
will be made given prompt and (if necessary) documented consultation with the instructor.
For full consideration, make sure to correspond with me via email prior to a late
submission rather than afterwards. Exceptions to the late policy include: family
emergencies, health and wellness issues, and logistical emergencies.
Grade Complaints. Grade complaints on assignments will be dealt on an individual
basis in direct consultation first with your teaching assistant and should be submitted in
writing no later than 10 days after the return of the graded assignment. If the student is
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not yet satisfied, they may appeal the grade in writing to myself. If the student is still not
satisfied or feel the grade is discriminatory or unjust, they may appeal to the Associate
Chair of the Political Science Department, Jamie Mayerfeld, at
jasonm@u.washington.edu.
Academic Dishonesty. Cases of suspected cheating and plagiarism will be referred to the
Arts and Sciences Committee on Academic Conduct, and may result in a grade of 0.0 for
the assignment in question. Note that some teaching assistants are quite adept at detecting
dishonest work. University policies and guidelines regarding cheating and plagiarism can
be found at https://depts.washington.edu/grading/pdf/AcademicResponsibility.pdf.
Other Policies
Communication. It is important that your check your UW email regularly, as I and/or
your teaching assistant may send out vital course information via email throughout the
quarter. Students are welcome to contact me via email for logistical inquiries (such as
making appointments). Please use your UW email account for such correspondence.
Substantive questions and communications are very much encouraged but will be
reserved for office hours and in-person meetings.
Technology in the classroom. Turn phones to ‘silent’ or ‘vibrate’ while in class. Use of
phones and the internet on any device is prohibited during class hours unless it is part of
an assigned activity or discussion.
Respect in the Classroom. Every student is expected to treat fellow classmates, teaching
assistants, and course instructor with a spirit of active and mutual respect. This is
especially important because parts of this course are designed to challenge assumptions
about the political world. I invite students to approach course material with a sense of
openness – that is, to let material, themes, concepts, and questions we raise in class to
challenge your sense of reality and, at the same time submit what you read and discuss in
class to thoughtful skepticism and critique.
Classroom comportment on gender and names. As a general rule, academic
scholarship now uses gender-neutral pronouns to refer generally, such as “people” instead
of “men” and “humankind” instead of “mankind.” Unless dealing with texts using
specifically gendered pronouns, you are expected to conform to this standard of gender
inclusivity, and not fall back on “he”/“him” out of habit. In interacting with your fellow
classmates in the classroom, you are expected to use the pronoun and name that each
person prefers, regardless of whether this preference conforms to any assumption made
about their gender or name.
Similarly, students facing gender-, sexuality-, race-, national origin- or religious-based
harassment or violence in or out of class are entitled to protection. Information from
University of Washington’s Compliance Support Program for services can be found at:
http://compliance.uw.edu/csupport.
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Religious Holidays. If you wish to observe a religious holiday that is not recognized by
the University calendar, please let us know in advance, so that we may accommodate
your absence from class.
Student Disability. Students needing academic accommodations for a disability should
contact Disability Resources for Students, 448 Schmitz Hall, V: (206) 543-8924, TTY:
(206) 543-8925, uwdss@u.washington.edu. If you have a letter from Disability
Resources for Students documenting the need for academic accommodations, please
present this letter to the instructor so that accommodations can be discussed and arranged.
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