POLS 4030 - Western Political Thought II

Credits: 3

Description: Influential writings in modern political thought, from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. This fertile period gave rise to major traditions including republicanism, liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and to concepts such as natural rights, popular sovereignty, and the general will. Theorists of this era, such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Marx, are still widely relevant to understanding government and society. While paying attention to historical context, we will also assess these intellectual traditions in light of the specific social, political, and economic realities today.