GOVT 3675 Spring 2017 GOVT/CLASS/AMST 3675: DEMOCRACY AND ITS DISCONTENTS Professor A. Livingston. Dept. of Government. Cornell University Course Description: Despite its nearly universal acceptance at the dawn of the twenty-first century, Required Textbooks: Books are the idea of democracy has been an object of available for purchase at the Cornell suspicion, fear, and anxiety since it first appeared Store. in ancient Athens two thousand years ago. What about the idea of equal rule provoked political • de Tocqueville, Alexis. Democracy thinkers from Thucydides to James Madison to in America, tr. George Lawrence describe democracy as incoherent in theory and (Harper Perennial). dangerous in practice? How has the meaning of • Madison, Hamilton, Jay, et al. The democracy transformed over the last two millennia? How has our contemporary embrace of Essential Federalist and Anti- democracy come about? What of this radical idea Federalist Papers, ed. David remains alive in modern forms of representation Wootton (Hackett Publishing) and constitutional government? What ought • Marx, Karl. Later Political Writings, democracy mean for us today? In this course we ed. Terrell Carver (Cambridge) will investigate answers to these questions through the study of major texts in the history of • Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty and political thought. We will examine the meaning of Other Essays, (Oxford) democracy in historical and contemporary • Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. On the contexts from the perspective of both its S o c i a l C o n t r a c t , ( H a c k e t t champions and its critics. Central topics and Publishing) themes we will consider include: the value of democracy, the institutional and legal means of • Schmitt, Carl. The Crisis of realizing the idea of popular rule, the nature of Parliamentary Democracy, tr. Ellen equality, the duties and virtues of citizenship, the Kennedy (MIT Press) role of rhetoric and persuasion in democratic • Thucydides. On Justice, Power, politics, the relationship between popular and Human Nature, tr. Paul sovereignty and representation, democratization and domination, the idea of a civic religion, and Woodruff (Hackett Publishing). the politics of revolution. 4 Credits. Satisfies AS- HS and HB distribution requirements. !1 of !8 GOVT 3675 Spring 2017 Learning Objectives: The learning objectives of this course are to develop careful and rigorous reading habits, to sharpen interpretive and analytical writing skills, to broaden your understanding of the history of political thought, and to delve deep into the contested history of democracy as a word, an idea, and an institutional arrangement. By the end of this semester, students should be able to demonstrate competency in (1) defining political theories and concepts; (2) applying a broad knowledge of the history of political thought; (3) identifying an author’s argument and restating it in your own words; (4) interpreting and comparing canonical works of political theory; and (5) analyzing and evaluating the conceptual premises of both historical and contemporary democratic politics. Assignments and Grading: Final grades will be calculated on the basis of aggregate scores in the following assessments: Participation 15% Final Exam 30% Responses 20% Essay 2 Essay 1 20% 15% • Participation (15%): Your participation grade will reflect your presence and contribution to our common dialogue in class. It is therefore expected that all students come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings and have a point of view that demonstrates a strong command of, and sophisticated engagement with, the assigned texts. All students begin the semester with a participation grade of 100%. This portion of your grade drops due to missing class, arriving late, leaving early, arriving unprepared, or failing to actively contribute to in-class discussion. NB: Do not hesitate to come speak with me in person early in the semester if you have worries concerning challenges or hesitations you may have about participating actively in class. !2 of !8 GOVT 3675 Spring 2017 • Response Papers (5 x 4% = 20%): Each student is required to write five response papers over the course of the semester. Responses should be between 350 and 500 words in length. A response might consist of a critique of the reading, a comparison of the perspectives of the author(s) under consideration, an original intervention in the arguments taking place in and between the readings, or a novel illustration of the themes and concepts discussed. It is up to you to decide which five classes you would like to write your reflection papers for. Please note that students can only submit one response paper per class. Response papers must be submitted directly to your instructor via email by 8pm the evening before class at [email protected]. Students can elect to write additional reading responses to improve this part of their course grade. Only your five strongest response papers will be counted towards your final grade. • Essays (15% / 20%): Short essays are intended to test your comprehension of course materials, motivate thoughtful interpretation of texts, and encourage the development of original insights. Both essays must be between 2000 and 2500 words in length (citations, notes, & bibliography included). All assignments must be submitted in hard copy, during class time, and on the assigned date. Essay format requirements will be include in the the assignment prompts distributed by the instructor. Deadlines are included in the course schedule below. • Final Exam (30%): A cumulative final exam will be held after the end of classes during the exam period. The exam will consist of a series of essay questions that ask you to compare thinkers, concepts, and arguments from the assigned readings. A list of study questions will be circulated at the end of the semester. !3 of !8 GOVT 3675 Spring 2017 Instructor Contact Information Email: [email protected] Office: 215 White Hall Office Hours: Thursdays 10:15 am - 12:15 pm Course Policies: Recording devices: Audio and video recording devices are prohibited in the Office Hours and Communication: Office classroom unless required for accessibility purposes. This is to create a learning hours are held after class Thursdays in environment where all students feel 215 White Hall. A sign-up sheet for office comfortable expressing their opinions hours is available online at http:// without the possibility of their class drlivingston.youcanbook.me. I will do my contribution being reproduced or best to respond to student emails in a distributed without their consent. timely fashion, but please know that I only check my email twice a week during the Classroom Climate: One aim of studying semester. political theory is to unsettle received convictions and upset unexamined beliefs. Blackboard.com: All course documents Because of the controversial and a r e a v a i l a b l e o n B l a c k b o a r d provocative nature of some of the materials (blackboard.cornell.edu). If you are we will be studying this semester, I ask that unfamiliar with how to access Blackboard, all students exercise respect and generosity towards one another in our please consult the Cornell Information conversations. It is always welcome to T e c h n o l o g y w e b s i t e criticize an idea, but never to attack the (bbhelp.cit.cornell.edu). Because person who holds it. If at any point in the important messages and updates semester a student feels uncomfortable concerning the course will be posted with the class climate or disrespected in regularly on Blackboard, it is imperative any way, please do not hesitate to come that you enable your account to send speak with me directly. a n n o u n c e m e n t s d i re c t l y t o y o u r @cornell.edu email address. Late Assignments: Please consult the course schedule for information about Electronic Devices: The use of computers and assignment due dates. Permission to tablets in class is discouraged. Surfing the submit late work will only be granted in Internet in seminar is distracting to both e x t e n u a t i n g a n d u n a v o i d a b l e you and your fellow students. Recent circumstances outlined to the instructor in studies suggest that your brain is more writing prior to the due date. Such circumstances include medical, family, or actively engaged in learning when you p e r s o n a l e m e r g e n c i e s . M u l t i p l e take notes by hand. If you do choose to assignments scheduled for the same date use a computer in class, please be sure do not constitute an acceptable reasons for to also bring additional stationary and extensions. Late assignments will be pen or pencil. Phones must be turned off penalized 2% of their final grade per day in seminar. Off means off – not vibrate. late. Extensions will not be granted in any case after the submission deadline. !4 of !8 GOVT 3675 Spring 2017 Course Policies Continued: Plagiarism and Academic Ethics: Students should review Cornell University’s policy concerning plagiarism and violations of academic ethics (plagiarism.arts.cornell.edu). The strength of the university depends on academic and personal integrity. Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments, improper use of the Internet and electronic devices, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery, falsification, lying, facilitation of academic dishonesty, and unfair competition. The university has a zero tolerance policy towards plagiarism. All suspected cases of plagiarism will be passed on to the Academic Integrity liaison for disciplinary review. If you have any questions about the appropriate use of secondary sources, your instructor is available to discuss best practices.