The Political Theory

2022/2023

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

5

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Course type:

Compulsory course

When:

2 year, 1, 2 module

Instructors

Balayan, Alexander A.

Riabov, Dmitriy

Course Syllabus

Abstract

Students will learn about why these concepts of political theory matter, what controversies surround each of them and what the vigorous debates and disagreements about them reveals about the character of contemporary politics in the era of globalization. By the end of the course students will have a much better understanding of the ideational, normative dimension of political science. They will learn about how to do concept analysis, and generally improve their analytical capabilities and their abilities to grasp the essence of abstract ideas

Learning Objectives

• The main goal of this course is to introduce students to the concepts and authors of the contemporary political theory, grounding students in several national theoretical traditions and encouraging them to produce analysis beyond the nation-states centered paradigm.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Able to think critically and interpret the experience (personal and of other persons), relate to professional and social activities
• Is capable of posing research problems relevant to the study of political phenomena and political processes; setting particular research tasks; and putting together a research design
• Is familiar with concept of identity
• Is familiar with concept of legitimacy
• Is familiar with concept of modernity
• Is familiar with concept of power
• Is familiar with concept of sovereignty
• Is familiar with concepts of nation and nationalism
• Is familiar with concepts of social fact and constructivism
• Is familiar with multiculturalism
• Is familiar with notion of violence
• Is familiar with notions of discourse and post-structuralism
• Is familiar with notions of imperialism and colonialism

Course Contents

• Introduction: multiple political theories
• People and Representation
• Nation and Nationalisms
• State and Society
• Justice and Equality
• Freedom and Slavery
• Culture and Religion
• Cooperation and Community
• Conflict and Violence
• Ideology and Discourse
• Identity and Subject
• Gender and Nature
• Sovereignty and Legitimacy
• Power and Political

Assessment Elements

• Seminar Discussion
  Students participate in in-class discussion, following the questions/points of discussion, that are sent them beforehands.
• Midterm Test
  The Midterm Test is organized during the last seminar of Module 1 in a test form, including open questions. The duration of the test is 80 minutes. The test covers the materials from lectures and required readings of the course content discussed in Module 1. Contains multiple choice questions, fill in the gaps Qs, ordering Qs, matching Qs, open questions.
• Essay
  Each student is supposed to submit an essay on one of the given topic. The essay should provide a detailed reflection to the given statement, using required readings. The volume of the essay is no less than 2000 words. The essay should be submitted not later than Seminar 13 (or the last but one).
• Final Test
  The final test is organized at Seminar 14 (last seminar) and is conducted in a test form, including open questions.
• Exam
  Examination is oral and lasts for 2 academic hours. Students are informed about the final list of questions in advance. At the exam a student receives two questions from the list.

Interim Assessment

• 2022/2023 2nd module
  0.2 * Midterm Test + 0.2 * Essay + 0.2 * Final Test + 0.2 * Exam + 0.2 * Seminar Discussion

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Goodin, R. E., & Pettit, P. (2019). Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Anthology (Vol. Third edition). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2100217

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Bell, D. (2014). The Oxford Handbook of Political Philosophy The Oxford Handbook of the History of Political Philosophy. Political Studies Review, 12(1), 94–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/1478-9302.12041_11
• The Oxford handbook of political theory / ed. by John S. Dryzek . (2006). Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.121392570