Political Theory

2024/2025

Academic Year

ENG

Instruction in English

4

ECTS credits

Delivered at:

Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Course type:

Compulsory course

When:

1 year, 3, 4 module

Instructors

Balayan, Alexander A.

Коцур Глеб Владиславович

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: political theories
• Political Discourse
• Power
• Modernity
• Conflict
• Liberty
• Justice
• Republic
• Democracy
• Nation
• Identity
• Culture
• Geopolitics
• Empire and Civilization

Assessment Elements

• Seminar Discussion
  Each seminar students read assigned reading material from the basic and/or additional literature. He/she should answer the questions that are given beforehand. In the class students are asked those questions. The teacher engages students into the discussion on the topic, juxtaposing their views. The aim is to show that there are different possible answers to the question, as the context both of the writer and the reader differs.
• Final Test
  Final test is taken at one of the last seminars and lasts for 80 minutes. It is in-class, written. writtenThe test consists of up to 20 questions taken from the pool of questions. It has multiple choice, true/false, connect-the-concepts questions. If a student has missed the final test due to legitimate reasons, validated by the study office, she or he may retake the test during the consultation hours of the lecturer.
• Exam
• Group Presentation
  Critical analysis of a 1 book from the list provided or any other book on political theory within the scope of our course. The analysis should address (1) the major claim of the book, (2) the structure of its argumentation (what arguments are provided and how are they demonstrated), (3) contemporary discussion of the book, (4) own critical evaluation of book’s claims. The oral presentation must be accompanied by a .ppt-compatible document. Time requirement for the presentation is 10-15 minutes with Q&A session. The project should be done in groups of no less than 5 people.

Interim Assessment

• 2024/2025 4th module
  0.2 * Exam + 0.3 * Final Test + 0.2 * Group Presentation + 0.3 * 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

Authors

• Riabov Dmitrii Olegovich
• Kotsur Gleb Vladislavovich
• Balaian Aleksandr Aleksandrovich