Contemporary Political Thought

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Subject:

Social Sciences

Institution Name:

The Saylor Foundation

Collection:

Saylor Foundation

Grade Level:

Post-secondary

Abstract:

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with an overview of the major political theorists and their work from the 18th century to the present. Common themes seen in contemporary political thought include governance, property ownership and redistribution, free enterprise, individual liberty, justice, and responsibility for the common welfare. The student will read the works of theorists advocating capitalism, socialism, communism, egalitarianism, utilitarianism, social contract theory, liberalism, conservatism, neo-liberalism, neo-conservatism, libertarianism, fascism, anarchy, rational choice theory, and globalism. By studying the evolving constructs of political theory in the past two centuries, the student will gain insight into different approaches that leaders use to solve complex problems of governance and maintenance of social order. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: summarize the primary principles of capitalism, socialism, communism, egalitarianism, utilitarianism, social contract theory, liberalism, conservatism, neo-liberalism, neo-conservatism, libertarianism, fascism, anarchy, terrorism, rational choice theory, and globalism; identify major the political theorists from the 188h century to the present; discuss major political movements in their respective historical contexts; assess the impact that various political movements have had on law, economics, international relations, and society; analyze various primary sources of political theory and understand how these theories can be applied to solve problems in society; understand the challenges that modern leaders face in framing political debate and public policy. (Political Science 302)

Languages:

English

Material Type:

Assessments, Audio Lectures, Full Course, Lecture Notes, Readings, Syllabi, Video Lectures

Media Format:

Audio, Graphics/Photos, Text/HTML, Downloadable docs, Video

Conditions of Use:

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0
You are welcome to share, remix, and adapt this course under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; however, many linked materials within this course are copyright of their respective authors/owners and may not be openly-licensed. Please respect the copyright and terms of use associated with each resource.

Copyright Holder:

The Saylor Foundation