POLSCI 103: Introduction to Political Theory

This course consists of close readings of three texts considered foundational to the history of Western political thought: Plato's Republic, Machiavelli's The Prince, and Marx and Engels' Communist Manifesto. It will examine the characteristic questions and problems raised by these texts concerning the nature of politics and justice, and examine what roles moral and epistemological knowledge might play with regard to both. Also considered will be questions of genre, history, and rhetoric, with special attention given to questions regarding authorial intent, readership, and audience.