About this course: When do governments deserve our allegiance, and when should they be denied it? This course explores the main answers that have been given to this question in the modern West. We start with a survey of the major political theories of the Enlightenment: Utilitarianism, Marxism, and the social contract tradition. In each case we begin with a look of classical formulations, locating them in historical context, but then shift to the contemporary debates as they relate to politics today. Next we turn to the rejection of Enlightenment political thinking, again exploring both classical and contemporary formulations. The last part of the course deals with the nature of, and justifications for, democratic politics, and their relations to Enlightenment and Anti-Enlightenment political thinking. In addition to exploring theoretical differences among the various authors discussed, considerable attention is devoted to the practical implications of their competing arguments. To this end, we discuss a variety of concrete problems, including debates about economic inequality, affirmative action and the distribution of health care, the limits of state power in the regulation of speech and religion, and difficulties raised by the emerging threat of global environmental decay.
Taught by: Ian Shapiro, Sterling Professor of Political Science and Henry R. Luce Director
The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale
| Commitment | 8 weeks of study, 12-15 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
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| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
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Love this course. Getting through the first couple lectures gets you hooked on the sharp insights of Prof. Shapiro and takes you though the intricacies of politics, economics and justice. Very interesting. Very stimulating.
Very informative course and history. I did learn much about the moral foundations of politics and have more understanding about how these foundations came to be. I did like the interaction between the Sharpiro and the students and the questions and answers they asked and interaction, helped me to understand areas I didn't relate too.
I loved this course. It was highly interesting, thorough, and relevant. Prof Shapiro takes abstruse philosophical content and boils it down to the bare bones. Also, the method of including the two students in the lectures made the online process more organic. Highly recommended!
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Great course. Professor Shapiro is very friendly and clear, and this facilitates the compreension and the adhesion to the course. That's a person I'd like to be a friend and student. Thank you very much.