POLITICS 109

Foundations of Western Politics and Law

Please note: this is archived course information from 2016 for POLITICS 109.

Description

How should society be governed? What is justice and how should it be implemented between individuals, groups and states? Why should we obey the law? What is the relationship between justice, order and power? These are questions at the heart of modern politics in New Zealand and other democratic societies. The ways in which we think about them and answer them are defined by thinkers in a historical tradition, in a succession of debates and conversations in which we today are the latest participants.

In this course we will discuss the relationship between individuals and the state, the meanings of justice, liberty and equality, the basis of democracy, the rights of women and the limits to political authority and rights of resistance. Thinkers studied include Plato, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Mill and Marx.

POLITICS 109 is an excellent background to all courses in Politics. It will also be relevant and useful for studying many other subjects and disciplines in an Arts degree - particularly philosophy and history - and for Law.

Availability 2016

Semester 2

Lecturer(s)

Lecturer(s) Professor John Morrow
Associate Professor Katherine Smits

Reading/Texts

Coursebook of readings, available for purchase from the University Bookstore.

Assessment

Coursework + exam

Points

POLITICS 109: 15 points