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Instructor Class Description

Time Schedule:

Sooenn Park
POL S 273
Seattle Campus

The Concept of Political Power

How to understand and explain relationships of power. Readings from Marxism, Weberian sociology, anarchism, classical political philosophy, and contemporary political science. May also include works of fiction.

Class description

Why and in what ways does the concept and phenomenon of power become a "problem" in contemporary politics? How should we locate power in the modern political discourses of rights, freedom, equality, justice and the common good? How does power operate under these apparently benign banners? Or should we rather conclude that power is something essentially benign itself? The course has two purposes. One is to have us acquainted with various ways of imagining the kinetic relationship amongst power, virtue, liberty, authority, force and violence. The other is to trace the genealogy of two of the most dominant modern discourses, capitalism and liberalism. Comparing them with classical political discourses, on the one hand, and situating them within critical modern literature, on the other, we will attempt to analyze the peculiar power effects of these dominant discourses. The readings will include works of Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Weber, Marx, Gramsci, Foucault and Freud.

Student learning goals

General method of instruction

Recommended preparation

POLS 201 recommended.

Class assignments and grading

Weekly reading assignments of 80-120 pages; two take-home mid-term exams; final paper

Participation: 10%; Two exams: 30 % each; Final paper:30 %


The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.
Additional Information
Last Update by Suman C. Chhabra
Date: 02/18/2009