GVPT 241 Introduction to Political Theory Summer Session I 6 1 09 7 12 09 Class Hours Mondays Wednesdays 12 30pm 3 50pm Classroom 1111 Tydings Hall Instructor Sung Wook Paik Office 1135A Tydings Hall Office Hours Mondays Wednesdays 4 00pm 5 00pm and By Appointment Phone 301 405 5021 E mail swpaik gvpt umd edu Course Description This is a course designed to provide students with a survey of the history of western political thought Throughout the course we will read selections from their seminal works of Aristotle Locke Rousseau Federalists and J S Mill focusing on a key aspect of political theory the constitution of good political orders In contemporary context constitutions are generally understood as an exogenous system of laws which controls human actions and outlooks One of the goals of this course is to demonstrate the insufficiencies of this narrow viewpoint A theory of constitutionalism cannot be hermetically sealed off from broader political and social practices taking place outside the legal realm Constitutions not only constrain politics but also create and empower actual institutions that are necessary for maintaining a regime Furthermore the argument will arrive at a full circle when we understand how constitutions are an integral part of political education comprehensively shaping the identities and characters of citizens Through this course we will examine how each thinker combines an account of human nature institutional design and political education in offering a unique vision of constituting good political orders Broadly speaking the objective of GVPT241 is three fold 1 to enhance critical thinking in engaging philosophical texts 2 to provide necessary skills in expressing and defending one s thoughts coherently both in writing and discussion and last but certainly not least 3 to foster the capacity of public reasoning and justification as responsible citizens in a democratic regime Required Texts There are five required texts for the course available for purchase at the University bookstore Although you may choose to use a different edition publisher for each of the texts listed below I strongly insist that you use the Reeve edition Hackett Publishing for Aristotle s Politics and the Masters edition Bedford St Martin s for Rousseau s Social Contract Aristotle Politics Hackett Publishing John Locke Second Treatise of Government Hackett Publishing Paik 1 Jean Jacques Rousseau On the Social Contract Bedford St Martin s Alexander Hamilton James Madison and John Jay Federalist Papers Signet Classics John Stuart Mill On Liberty and Other Essays Oxford University Press Occasionally I will assign additional readings marked with an asterisk in the course outline These readings are required and will be made available at the BSOS Copy Center located at the first floor of Tydings Hall There are also two recommended books listed below These extra materials will not be referenced directly in class but will provide guidance for understanding some of the main themes of the course Students however are NOT required to purchase these books Sheldon Wolin Politics and Vision Expanded edition Princeton University Press John Rawls Lectures on the History of Political Philosophy Harvard University Press Course Requirements and Grading Standards Students are expected to attend class regularly complete all of the assigned reading before class actively participate in class and turn in assignments on time The final grade will be determined by the following distribution Class participation and Attendance Quizzes Midterm Exam Take home Final Paper 20 20 5 each 30 30 Class participation and Attendance 20 Students will be expected to come to class well prepared You should have read the assigned material carefully preferably more than once taken notes and formulated your own thoughts and questions In addition you should participate frequently and thoughtfully to the class discussion Considering how class only meets twice a week attendance is absolutely crucial Unexcused absences will detract from your ability to actively participate in class and will be assessed accordingly Three or more unexcused absences will result in a failing grade Quizzes 20 There will be five unannounced quizzes to test your comprehension of the reading material for the week The questions for the quizzes will be straightforward and factual Your responses will be evaluated on the basis of whether you provide an accurate description of the text with a degree of detail It is not sufficient to simply get the general idea Each quiz is worth 5 of your final grade for a total of 20 Quizzes will be graded according to the following formula A 5 B 4 2 C 3 4 D 2 6 F 0 No plus or minus on the quizzes Students who have taken all five quizzes will be able to drop their lowest quiz grade Or you may choose to take a free pass on one of the five quizzes in case of an absence Midterm exam Take home 30 The midterm will be a take home open book exam The questions will be distributed in class on Wednesday June 17 that is one week prior Paik 2 to the due date Further instructions and guidelines will be announced along with the questions The midterm exam is due at the beginning of lecture on Wednesday June 24 Electronic submissions will NOT be accepted Late submission will result in a penalty of half a letter grade per day late Final Paper 30 The final paper will assess your understanding of and ability to analyze materials from the books and lectures Papers should thoughtfully advance a thesis based on independent thinking with accuracy and clarity A list of sample topics will be distributed in class roughly a week prior to the due date Topics will cumulatively draw upon various themes dealt throughout the course Alternatively you may write on a topic of your choice that is relevant to the class materials with my approval The paper will be due Thursday July 9 Email submissions are accepted Late papers will be penalized half a letter grade per day late Your course grade will be assessed on an absolute scale according to which 90 100 A 80 89 B 70 79 C 60 69 D 0 59 F There will be NO CURVE Other Issues and Policies 1 Academic Integrity UMCP has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity administered by the Student Honor Council This Code sets standards for academic integrity at UMCP for all undergraduate and graduate students As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course It is very important for you to