Political Theory Preliminary Exam Field
While any prelim question options could be expected to consider special interests of the student, the goal of this field is to prepare broad competence in political theory.
Competence here may come in a number of forms, but it will rely on an understanding of the domains and modes of inquiry that distinguish the practice of political theory. This assumes:
- An understanding of the major texts in the history of political theory (ranging from the pre-Socratics to the work of recent theorists, such as Habermas and Foucault).
- An understanding of the major controversies in political theory (e.g., liberalism and its critics, competing conceptualizations of democratic practice, the role of critique in the project of political theory).
- An understanding of the methodological debates concerning interpretation of texts.
In the main, Pol S 502 will set a student on the way toward the specific areas of thinking that will, then, lead them toward an approach to the texts and controversies within political theory.
Requirements
The following course work is necessary for meeting the requirements of the political theory exam field:
- Students wishing to exam in political theory as a secondary field should take Pol S 502: Seminar in Political Theory. This seminar is designed to provide an advanced introduction to a number of substantive domains of interest within political theory and modes of practicing political theory. More specifically, the course introduces students to conceptual and theoretical analysis in the following areas:
- The history of western political thought
- The methodological debates concerning interpretation
- The contested identity of political theory
- Democratic theory
- The arguments of selected contemporary political theorists (including Foucault, Arendt, and Habermas)
- Liberalism and its critics
- Students should also take Pol S 511: American Political Thought. This seminar is designed to focus specifically on the evolution of American political thought, including its distinctive forms of liberalism, pragmatism, and democratic pluralism.
Optional Independent Readings or Audits
In consultation with their advising committee, students should consider the following other political science graduate seminar offerings when appropriate:
- Pol S 530: Theoretical Approaches to International Relations
- Pol S 534: Seminar in Comparative Politics
- Pol S 535: Advanced Issues in Comparative and International Politics
It could be helpful to have taken or at least audited one or two upper-division course offerings covering normative political theory, such as Pol S 438: Modern Political Thought (covers either the development of American political thought from the Constitutional Convention onward or contemporary political theory from Weber and Marx forward) or Pol S 437: Classical Political Thought (covers the history of political theory from Socrates to the liberal tradition).
If oriented toward public law or criminal justice, students should consider upper-division courses such as Pol S 402: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties or Crm J 450: Senior Seminar in Criminal Justice Ethics. The Seminar on Law, Courts, and Judicial Politics (Pol S 516) could be important to those interested in philosophy of law.
Optional Recommended Classes
Depending upon one's interests, consider relevant enrollments or audits of usually upper-division or seminar offerings outside of political science, such as in history or philosophy. Students are strongly advised to take courses that overlap with the substantive concerns of political theory in philosophy, sociology, or history (to name a few possibilities).
In history, while there are some broad lower-division courses such as Foundations of Islamic Civilization (Hist 273) or Introduction to East Asian Culture (Hist 275), it would be better to consider:
- Hist 306: Cultures and Peoples of the Middle East
- Hist 321: U.S. Popular Culture, 1800 to 1930
- Hist 322: U.S. Popular Culture Since 1930
- Hist 340: Ancient Greece
- Hist 341: Rome
- Any of the upper-division courses on Asian civilizations (370, 373, 374)
- Other possibilities include:
- Hist 445: The Reformation
- Hist 453/553: Conservatism, Liberalism, and Socialism: Europe 1815-1870
- Hist 523: Radicals, Reformers, and Romantics: The Impact
- Hist 576: Revolutionary China, 1800 to Present
- Check possible relevance of the current Seminar in History (Hist 597)
In philosophy, consider:
- Phil 314: Philosophies and Religions of India
- Phil 315: Philosophies and Religions of China and Japan
- Phil 322: Nineteenth-century Philosophy
- Phil 407: Seminar in the Philosophy of Religion
- Phil 420: Contemporary Continental Philosophy
- Phil 470: Philosophy of Law
- Phil 472: Social and Political Philosophy
- Check for possible relevance of any current Seminar in the History of Philosophy (Phil 510)
Political Theory Faculty
Dr. Cornell Clayton
Professor of Political Science
- Institutions of American government, focusing on the judicial system and the Supreme Court
Dr. David Nice
Professor of Political Science
- General political theory
- American political thought
Dr. Matthew Weidenfeld
Assistant Professor of Political Science
- Ancient Greek political theory
- Contemporary social and political theory
- Heidegger and Arendt
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