From exposure to the ideas of Plato and Aristotle to those of modern social scientists, the student will develop a familiarity with the eternal political questions and the attempts made throughout the ages to answer them. Secondly it provides students with an overview and basic understanding of the modern academic discipline of political science. The course reviews different scholarly methods and the major intellectual controversies among scholars of political science. Thirdly students will develop a practical working knowledge of facts and ideas that can be applied to political problems in our time. For instance, we will explore the concept of democracy and review and compare the various approaches to representation used in the democratic nations of the world.
Heavy emphasis is placed on examples in the American political system.
The format for class meetings will consist of lectures and opportunities for discussion and debate. The instructor will make every effort to relate course concepts to the developments taking place in current events. Therefore students are encouraged to read a daily newspaper and to browse quality news-related web sites in preparation for class discussions. In order to help develop critical thinking skills, the following writing assignments will be completed during the semester. Each paper is worth 50 points toward the course grade.