Mon/Wed 9:30-10:45 am Office Hours: Fridays 12-1 PM @ K’s Coffee
Class Code: 21064 Email: ericgerlach@gmail.com
Room: BCC 52 Blog: ericgerlach.blogspot.com
Social & Political Philosophy Syllabus & Class Schedule
This course introduces students to the history of Social and Political Philosophy. We will study ancient and modern thinkers on the subjects of human nature, social class, authority, liberty, capitalism, socialism, communism, anarchism, fascism, postcolonialism, and feminism.
Required Texts
The only text for the class is the Course Reader, available at Lazer Image, 61 Shattuck Square, Berkeley, (510) 644-3339. A copy of the reader will be put on reserve in the BCC Library.
Required Assignments
Four Response Essays (10% x 4 = 40%), Midterm Exam (30%), Final Exam (30%)
CLASS SCHEDULE
Jan 23 & 28 Introduction & Politics in Early Civilization (Radin, Kramer, Barthes)
Jan 30 & Feb 4 Human Nature (Mencius, Xun Zi, Mo Zi)
Feb 6 & 11 Social Class/Caste (Plato & Aristotle)
Feb 13 & 20 Authority & Sovereignty (Machiavelli & Hobbes)
Feb 25 & 27 Rights & Liberty (Locke, Rousseau, Mill, Thoreau) (1st Response Due)
Mar 4 & 6 French & US Revolutions (Paine, US Constitution)
Mar 11 & 13 Capitalism (Smith, Long)
Mar 18 Midterm Review
Mar 20 MIDTERM EXAM (2nd Response Due)
Mar 25 & 27 NO CLASSES - SPRING BREAK
Apr 1 & 3 Hegel, Opposition & Revolution (Marcuse, McLellan)
Apr 8 & 10 Socialism (Engels, Marcuse)
Apr 15 & 17 Communism (Marx, Trotsky, Gramsci, Mao)
Apr 22 & 24 Anarchism (Mayer, Chomsky, Foucault)
Apr 29 & May 1 Fascism (Hitler, Heidegger, Sluga) (3rd Response Due)
May 6 & 8 Post-Colonialism (Fanon, Ayers/Dohrn, West, hooks)
May 13 & 15 Feminism (hooks, Humm, Butler)
May 20 Final Review
May 22 FINAL EXAM (4th Response Due)
This class is acceptable for credit at UC and CSU. It counts towards GE AA/AS area 3; CSU area C2; and IGETC area 3. It can be used as an elective for the Liberal Arts with an Emphasis in Arts and Humanities, Associate in Arts Degree Program and the Liberal Arts: Intersegmental General Education Transfer (IGETC) Certificate of Achievement and the Global Studies AA Degree.
Student Learning Outcomes
Information Competency: understand philosophical concepts and systems
Critical Thinking: evaluate philosophical concepts and argue for and against viewpoints
Global Awareness & Valuing Diversity: understand and appreciate diverse cultures of thought
General Student Requirements
Students are expected to come to class prepared to ask questions and participate in discussions. All readings and assignments should be completed by the beginning of class on the day they are discussed. This class is run as a lecture/discussion course. Students are responsible for all class material (even if they miss class). It is your responsibility to ask if you missed something; it is not the instructor’s responsibility to remind you. If a student has any extenuating circumstances which may affect full participation in the class, the student must speak to the instructor as far ahead of any due date as possible. All assignments must be completed and all requirements must be met in order to pass the class. You must turn in all assignments (even if they are late) in order to be eligible to receive a “C” grade or higher. There are no exceptions, under any circumstance.
Plagiarism—“[t]o use another person’s ideas or expressions in your writing without acknowledging the source” (MLA Handbook, 5th ed., §1.8)—will not be tolerated. Plagiarists, intentional or inadvertent, will receive a zero on the assignment in question; repeat offenders will get an F for the course and will be subject to college disciplinary action. Students are encouraged to review plagiarism policies in the current Vista College catalog.
A Note on Disabled Student Program and Services (DSPS)
DSPS services are provided for any enrolled student who has a verified disability that creates an educational limitation that prevents the student from fully benefiting from classes without additional support services or instruction. Please let the instructor know if you require any support services or would like more information about DSPS.
The syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Any changes will be announced in class. Additional handouts of required readings may also be added.
