Scribd
Upload
40 views3 pages

Democracy in Western Political Thought

This course document outlines a course on the history of democracy from Ancient Greece to the 21st century. Students will analyze texts from thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Locke, and Tocqueville. Assessment is a take-home exam for M.A. students or a longer take-home exam for classical program students. The course is divided into sections covering ancient Greece and Rome, early modern political thought, the American and French revolutions, and 20th century dictators.

Uploaded by

Gabriel Marini
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
40 views3 pages

Democracy in Western Political Thought

This course document outlines a course on the history of democracy from Ancient Greece to the 21st century. Students will analyze texts from thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Locke, and Tocqueville. Assessment is a take-home exam for M.A. students or a longer take-home exam for classical program students. The course is divided into sections covering ancient Greece and Rome, early modern political thought, the American and French revolutions, and 20th century dictators.

Uploaded by

Gabriel Marini
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

[Democracy in Western Political Thought]

Academic Year 2019/2020 Prof. João Pereira Coutinho


[1st] Semester [9h] [3] ECTS

 Overview of the goals of the course

A broad overview of the history of the concept of


democracy – from Ancient Greece to the 21st Century.

 Requirements students are expected to meet (class


attendance and participation, readings, papers, group
exercises, exams, etc.)

Students are expected to read the designated texts and


to take part in the discussions during the classes.

 Due dates exams and major written exercises

 Statement on how students will be graded (exams, class


participation, papers, projects, etc., and percentages for each)

M.A. Program – Take-home exam (2500 words max.) –


100%

Classical Program – Take-home exam (3500 words max.)


– 100%

 Course outline
This usually includes the readings for the particular day or
week, and may also include study questions for which students
will be responsible on a particular day.

1. The Greeks: Plato and Aristotle


Pericles, “Funeral Oration” (in Thucydides’ History of the
Peloponnesian War”)
Xenophon, “Xenophon, 'The Polity of the Athenians and
the Lacedaemonians'”
Platon, “Republic” (selections)

UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA PORTUGUESA  PALMA DE CIMA, 1649-023 LISBOA  PORTUGAL


TEL. 351.21.7214129/38  FAX. 351.21.7271836  E-MAIL. [email protected]  www.iep.lisboa.ucp.pt
Aristotle,
“Politics” (selections)

2. The Romans: Polybius and Cicero


Polybius, “The Histories” (selections)
Cicero, “Laws” (selections)

3. The British: Locke, Burke and Paine


Locke, “Second Treatise” (selections)
Burke, “Reflections on the Revolution in France”
(selections)

Paine, “Rights of Man” (selections)

4. The Americans: Madison and The Federalist


Readings:

The Federalist, nos. 10 and 51

5. The French: Sieyès, Robespierre and Tocqueville


Readings:
Sieyès, “What is the Third Estate”
Robespierre, “Virtue and Terror” (selections)
Tocqueville, “Democracy in America” (selections)

6. The Dictators: Lenin and Hitler


Readings:
Lenin, “Revolution and the State”
Hitler, “My Struggle” (selections)

 Bibliography

(in addition to the Classics):

CARTLEDGE, Paul. Democracy: A Life. Oxford: Oxford


University Press, 2016.

CRICK, Bernard. Democracy. A Very Short Introduction.


Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

DUNN, John. Setting the People Free – The Story of


Democracy. London: Atlantic Books, 2006.

UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA PORTUGUESA  PALMA DE CIMA, 1649-023 LISBOA  PORTUGAL


TEL. 351.21.7214129/38  FAX. 351.21.7271836  E-MAIL. [email protected]  www.iep.lisboa.ucp.pt
KEANE,
John. The Life and Death of Democracy. London: Pocket
Books, 2010.

UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA PORTUGUESA  PALMA DE CIMA, 1649-023 LISBOA  PORTUGAL


TEL. 351.21.7214129/38  FAX. 351.21.7271836  E-MAIL. [email protected]  www.iep.lisboa.ucp.pt

You might also like