This course is intended to be an introduction to the field of Political Science. It will be oriented toward Political Science Majors, Arts and Science Students meeting elective or core requirements, and students from professional schools. It will do so in reference to the concept of justice, and how political communities either attain or fall short of this goal.
People have for millenia formed communities intended to meet collective needs.
These groups have, over history, taken the form of small tribes or large empires. In our era, the predominant such group has been the nation-state. These questions will be at the heart of this introduction to political science. The course will use classic writings, and look at the details of how governments perform. But it will also focus on the human drama behind political communities.