What is justice? What does it entail for individuals and communities? How can it be secured, socially and politically? Who decides? On what basis? These questions have been controversial since their earliest formulations, and they remain controversial now. This course introduces the study of political theory by exploring some of the key controversies. Drawing on both contemporary and classic theories, and using practical examples from today's world, we will examine justice in relation to such themes as authority, equality, democracy, power, oppression, liberalism, capitalism, bureaucracy, community, cultural pluralism, and rights. Specific theorists will vary from year to year, but may include such thinkers as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Mill, Nietzsche, Weber, Arendt, Rawls, and Foucault. Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: two (5-page) papers and a final exam. No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 25 (expected: 20). This is an introductory course; open to all, including first-year students. Political Theory Subfield

Hour: First Semester: GARSTEN Second Semester: REINHARDT