Course Syllabus:



POLS 201.01

History of Political Thought I

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Fall 2018 Tuesday 14.00-16.00 (NH 101)

Thursday 11.00-12.00 (EF 206)

Instructor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Volkan Çıdam

Office: IB 502

Office Hours: Thursday 16.00-17.00, and by appointment

Email: volkan.cidam@boun.edu.tr

Teaching Assistant: Erdem Demirtaş / erdemirtas1903@

Course Assistants: Irem Oral / iroral@

Elif Yararbaş / elifyararbas@

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Course description:

This course introduces students to history of political thought with a special focus on Ancient Political Thought. During the course of the term, we will read selections from some of the canonical texts of major philosophers of Ancient Greek and Roman Political Thought, ranging from Plato’s Republic to Augustine’s The City of God. Although we will follow a chronological order in our theoretical explorations, we will approach each theorist and text with a specific set of thematic questions in mind. The political themes addressed in these texts are numerous. While we will scrutinize the relationship between philosophy and political theory and the relationship between ethics and politics throughout the semester, our focus will be specifically on ethical-political concepts, such as justice, equality, liberty, war, revolution and democracy.

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Readings:

The course reader is available at the Library Copyshop. There are two readers; one for the primary readings, the other for the secondary readings. Secondary readings are highly recommended, but not obligatory. These texts are designed for a better understanding of the topics discussed in the lectures.

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Course Requirements:

Students are expected to attend class regularly, read assigned materials before the date indicated in the syllabus and actively participate in class discussions. The assigned reading material in red-color will be discussed with the help of student course assistants. It is highly recommended that you join these tutorials, for the discussions help to better understand the primary texts and lectures. The Midterm and Final exams will cover readings as well as lectures. No make-up exams will be given without reliable proof of a serious health problem (e.g. certification by the University Health Center). In addition you are expected to write a response paper. Your response paper should be no longer than five pages (1,5 lines spacing, 12pts font) including bibliography and it should be handed in time as specified in the syllabus.

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Grading:

Class Performance & Attendance 10%

Midterm Exam 40%

Final Exam 50% TBA

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Academic Honesty

The Department of Political Science and International Relations at Boğaziçi University has the following rules and regulations regarding academic honesty.

1. Copying work from others or giving and receiving answers/information during exams either in written or oral form constitutes cheating.

2. Submitting take-home exams and papers of others as your own, using sentences or paragraphs from another author without the proper acknowledgement of the original author, insufficient acknowledgement of the consulted works in the bibliography, all constitute plagiarism. For further guidelines, you can consult

3. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and will result in:

a) an automatic “F” for the assignment or the exam

b) an oral explanation before the Departmental Ethics Committee

c) losing the opportunity to request and receive any references from the

entire faculty

d) losing the opportunity to apply in exchange programs

e) losing the prospects of becoming a student assistant or a graduate assistant in the department

The students may further be sent to the University Ethics committee or be subject to disciplinary action.

Class Schedule & Topics

I Introduction

Sep. 20 Introduction to Course

Wolin, Sheldon S. Politics and Vision, Chapter I

Secondary Reading:

Strauss, Leo “What is Political Philosophy” in What is Political Philosopy? And other Studies, Illinois, 1959, pg. 9-40.

Sep. 25-27 I Emergence of Political Community, Democracy and Political Theory

Griswold, Charles L. “Socrates’ political philosophy” in Donald R. Morrison (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Socrates, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011

Coleman, J., A History of Political Thought, Chapter I “Ancient Athenian Democracy”

Ober, Josiah (2008), “The original Meaning of ‘Democracy’: Capacity to do things, not majority Rule”, Constellations Vol. 15, No 1, pg. 3-9

Ober, Josiah (1993), “Public Speech and the Power of the People in Democratic Athens”, in Political Science and Politics, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 481-486

Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War ⇒

Book 1: Prologue and Thucydides’ Method: Sec. [1-3], pp. 3-4; Sec. [12], p.8; Sec. [17- 23], pp. 10-13.

Debate at Sparta: Sec. [66-88], pp. 32-43.

Declaration of War: Sec. [118-125], pp. 56-60; Sec. [140-146]; pp. 68-73.

Secondary Reading:

Pojman, L. (Editor), Classics of Philosophy, Oxford University Press, 1998, Chapter I

Oct. 2-4 Democracy and War

Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War ⇒

Book 2: Zeal and Fear: Sec [8-9], pp. 77-78.

Funeral Oration: Sec. [34-46], pp. 89-96.

The Plague: Sec. [47-54], pp. 89-100.

Pericles’ Final Speech: Sec [59-65], pp. 101-106

Book 3: The Mitylene Revolt (Background): skim Sec. [1-7], pp. 131-133. Mitylenians’ Call for Help from Lacedaemonians: Sec. [8-18], pp. 133-138. The Fate of Mitylene: Sec. [36-50], pp. 145-154.

Corcyra, Civil War, and the “Lust for Power”: Sec. [81-84], pp. 169-172.

Book 5: The Melian Dialogue: Sec. [84-115], pp. 301-307.

Book 6: The Sicilian Expedition: Sec. [8-32], pp. 312-325.

Alcibiades: Sec. [53], p. 335; Sec. [61], pp. 339-340; Sec. [82-93], pp. 350-358.

Book 7: ...And the Defeat: Sec. [10-15], pp. 369-371; Sec. [42-45]. Pp. 386-389; Sec. [50-56], pp. 391-394; Sec. [75-77], pp. 406-408; Sec. [84-87], pp. 412-414.

II PLATO

October 9-11 Plato, The Republic

The Republic, Penguin Books (2003 ed), Book 1, Book 2.

Wolin, Sheldon S. Politcs and Vision, Chapter II

Secondary Reading:

Dahrendorf, Ralf, “In Praise of Thracymachus” in Essays in the Theory of Society, Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1968

Beversluis, J., Cross-examining Socrates: a Defense ofthe Interlocutors in Plato's Early Dialogues (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2ooo), pp. 221-245

Oct. 16-18 Plato, The Republic

The Republic, Book 3, Book 4, Book 5

Secondary Reading:

Hollowel, John and Porter, J.M., Political Philosophy, Ontorio 1997, pp. 1-10 and 16-31.

Schofield, Malcom, “The Noble Lie”, in G.R.F Ferrari (ed.) Cambridge Companion to Plato’s Republic, Cambridge 2007, pp. 116-138

Morrison, Donald R. “The Utopian Character of Plato’s Ideal City”, in G.R.F Ferrari (ed.) Cambridge Companion to Plato’s Republic, Cambridge 2007, pp. 232-255

Oct. 23-25 Plato, The Republic

The Republic, Book 6, Book 7, Book 8

Secondary Reading:

Sedley, David, “Philosophy, the Forms and the Art of Ruling”, in G.R.F Ferrari (ed.) Cambridge Companion to Plato’s Republic, Cambridge 2007, pp. 256-283

Hollowel, John and Porter, J.M. (Ed.), Political Philosophy, Ontorio 1997, pp. 31-41

Miller, Mitchell, “Beginning the ‘Longer Way’”, in G.R.F Ferrari (ed.) Cambridge Companion to Plato’s Republic, Cambridge 2007, pp. 311-344

Oct. 30-Nov. 1 Plato, Gorgias

Secondary Reading:

Beversluis, J., Cross-examining Socrates: a Defense ofthe Interlocutors in Plato's Early Dialogues (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2ooo), pp. 291- 376.

Nov. 6-8 Gorgias cont. & Review

Nov. 12 MIDTERM MONDAY 19:00

III ARISTOTLE

Nov. 13-15 Aristotle, The Nichomachean Ethics

The Nichomachean Ethics, translated by David Ross, Oxford, 1980, Book 1, Book 2

Secondary Reading:

Hollowel, John and Porter, J.M. (Editor), Political Philosophy, Ontorio 1997, pp. 55-57 and 62-67

Hutchinson, D.S. “Ethics”, in Jonathan Barnes (ed.) Cambridge Companion to Aristotle, Cambridge 1995, pp. 195-232

Hughes, Gerard J., The Routledge Guidebook to Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, London, 2013, pp. 19-81

Nov. 20-22 Aristotle, The Nichomachean Ethics

The Nichomachean Ethics, Book 3 (Sections 1-7), Book 5 (Sections 1-10), Book 6 (Sections 1-11)

Secondary Literature:

Hollowel, John and Porter, J.M. (Editor), Political Philosophy, Ontorio 1997, pp. 67-72

Fossheim, Hallvard, “Justice in the Nichomachean Ethics. Book V”, in Jon Miller (ed.), Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics: A Critical Guide, Cambridge 2013, pp. 254-275.

Hughes, Gerard J., The Routledge Guidebook to Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, London, 2013, pp. 82-145

Nov. 27-29 Aristotle, Politics

Politics, edited by Stephon Everson, in The Politics and The Constitution of Athens, Cambridge, Book 1, Politics, Book 2 (Section 1-5),

Secondary Literature:

Hollowel, John and Porter, J.M. (Editor), Political Philosophy, Ontorio 1997, pp. 72-93

Taylor, C.C.W., “Politics” in Jonathan Barnes (ed.) Cambridge Companion to Aristotle, Cambridge 1995, pp. 233-258

Frede, Dorethea, “The political character of Aristotle’s ethics” in Marguerite Deslauires and Pierrre Destree(ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle’s Politics, Cambridge 2013, pp. 14-37

Nielsen, Karen Margrethe, “Economy and Private Property” in Marguerite Deslauires and Pierrre Destree(ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle’s Politics, Cambridge 2013, pp. 67-91

Dec. 4-6 Aristotle, Politics

Book 3 (Section 1-13), Book 4 (Section 1-13), Book 5 (Sections 1, 8-9, 12)

Secondary Literature:

Morrison, Donald, “The common good” in Marguerite Deslauires and Pierrre Destree(ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle’s Politics, Cambridge 2013, pp. 176-198

Rosler, Andrés, “Civic Virtue: citizenship, ostracism, and war” in Marguerite Deslauires and Pierrre Destree(ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle’s Politics, Cambridge 2013, pp. 144-175

Lane, Melissa, “Claims to Rule: The case of the Multitude”, in Marguerite Deslauires and Pierrre Destree(ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle’s Politics, Cambridge 2013, pp. 247-274

IV DECLINE OF THE POLIS AND THE RISE & FALL OF EMPIRE

Dec. 11-13 The Age of Empire and The Emergence of Christian Political Thought: St. Augustine

Wolin, Sheldon S. Politcs and Vision, Chapter III

Hollowel, John and Porter, J.M. (Editor), Political Philosophy, Ontorio 1997, pp. 96-121

Hollowel, John and Porter, J.M. (Editor), Political Philosophy, Ontorio 1997, pp. 126-172

Pojman, Louis P., Classics of Philosophy, from Chapter 8: On Free Will, Oxford 1998, pp. 393-408

Dec. 18 St. Augustine: On the Two Cities

Wolin, Sheldon S. Politcs and Vision, Chapter IV

From On The Two Cities: selections from The City of God, ed. F. W. Strothmann, NY: F. Ungar Pub. Co., 1957, Books I, V, VIII, X-XI, XIV, XIX

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