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MODERN POLITICAL THEORY (HIS-243444)

Center for Distance Learning Home > Distance Learning Catalog > Historical Studies >

Course Description:


The course will examine some of the most important contributions to political theory in the history of Western Civilization, with a focus on the modern period extending roughly from the early 1600s to the end of the Nineteenth Century. We will focus on questions about the proper role of government, the nature of political and moral obligation, the role of economics in political life, and the importance of personal, political, and religious liberty. We will focus on authors who are fundamental contributors to the Western intellectual tradition, and we will place those authors in the broad cultural, economic, political, and historical context of Western civilization. Assignments will include, and be based upon, close, critical analysis of key texts. This course will help students develop and refine reading and writing skills that may be required for further study, either in law school or graduate school. Authors who may be studied in this course include Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Friedrich Nietzsche. Assignments include participation in class discussions, 2-4 short written assignments, and the completion of a major research project.


Important Note: this course was renamed effective the September 2009 term and was formerly offered as Western Civilization: Internal Critiques and Analyses. Students who have successfully completed 243444 should not enroll in this course.

This course fully meets the General Education requirement in Humanities for 4 credits or Western Civilization for 4 credits.
This online course is offered through the Center for Distance Learning. You can take this as an individual course or as part of an online degree program, with term starts in March, May, September, November and January. View current term offerings and all online courses. Click here to register for online courses.

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Liberal Study
Upper Level
Credits: 4
Meets General Education Requirement In: Humanities-Full;Western Civilization-Full
Term(s) Offered (Subject to Change) : Jan. Sep.

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