POL 3020 Democracy and its Critics
Despite its central role in modern politics, the concept of “democracy” has been fiercely contested since the moment of its inception in the ancient world. This course begins to make sense of the enduring question “what is the ideal political regime?” through the lens of historical and contemporary works of political theory, with a particular emphasis on understanding these debates in Ancient Greece, Rome, and Medieval Europe. Course texts include philosophical treatises, satires, plays, and polemical essays debating the strengths and weaknesses of democratic regimes, from thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Aristophanes, and Augustine. Students will engage in close reading, conversation, and critical writing with an eye towards comprehending the contested concept of democracy and debating its desirability in relation to alternative models of political rule such as monarchy, empire, oligarchy, republicanism, and anarchy.
Course Types
Society; Advanced Studies