POLS 285-3: Introduction to = International Relations

POLS 351: Liberalism and Its Critics

Northern Illinois University

Department of Political Science

Spring 2011

Instructor

Dr.=20 Andrea Radasanu

Office

Zulauf=20 408

Phone=20 Number

753-7052=20

Email=20 Address

aradasanu@niu.edu=20

Office=20 Hours

Tuesdays=20 1:30pm-3:30pm; Thursdays 9:30am-10:30am; and by = appointment=20

Classroom

DU=20 252

Class=20 Time

T=20 & Th 11:00am-12:15pm =

Course = Description:

Classical = liberalism contends=20 that the purpose of civil society and government is to secure the = peaceful=20 enjoyment of natural individual rights =96life, liberty and property. = Liberalism=20 makes a distinction between private and public domains, and understands = the=20 public domain to be limited by and subservient to the private domain. = This=20 understanding constituted a major departure from all political thought = that=20 preceded it, from Greek, to Roman and Medieval Christian. The protection = of=20 one=92s life, liberty and property became the goals of civil society; no = longer=20 was public life considered an important or legitimate component of = striving=20 towards the good life.

In this course we = will be=20 reading several key authors who helped define the contours of = liberalism, as=20 well as ones who argued that liberalism is deficient in certain = important=20 respects. We will concentrate on the way of life encouraged by a liberal = understanding of politics. We will ask ourselves, by engaging with these = thinkers, whether the bourgeois, the=20 type of human being that Hobbes and Locke sought to bring into being, = leads a=20 good and satisfying life. Hobbes and Locke defend the liberal life and = the bourgeois human type, while = Rousseau,=20 Marx and Nietzsche argue that this type of life is fundamentally petty = and=20 unsatisfying. We will consider the ways in which religion, commerce and = a=20 government marked by a separation of powers come to denote this liberal = way of=20 life, and we will ask ourselves what this means for us living in a = liberal=20 democratic society.

Suggested Prerequisite: = POLS251,=20 Introduction to Political Philosophy

Readings:

The=20 following are REQUIRED texts. They can be purchased at either of the = campus=20 bookstores.

v = John=20 Locke, Second Treatise of = Government.=20 Hackett.

v = Jean=20 Jacques Rousseau, The First and = Second=20 Discourses. St. Martin=92s.

v = Karl=20 Marx, The Marx-Engels = Reader.=20 Norton.

v = John=20 Stuart Mill, Mill: On = Liberty.=20 Prentice Hall.

v = Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil.=20 Vintage.

v = Francis=20 Fukuyama, The End of History = and the Last=20 Man. Avon Books.

Course = Requirements:

1. Attendance and = Participation:

Your attendance = and class=20 participation are important components of the course and will make up = 10% of=20 your course grade. You are expected to participate in a lively manner, = by=20 answering questions about the texts, asking questions about the texts, = and,=20 generally, by offering insightful comments that will enrich your = experience as=20 well as that of your fellow students.

2. Reading:

All reading = assignments must=20 be completed BEFORE the beginning of the relevant class. Please keep in = mind=20 that your ability to participate effectively will depend on your = diligence in=20 completing the readings as assigned. All readings as well as all lecture = material are fair game for tests and examinations. You must study your = readings=20 and take good notes in class in order to do well on the tests and = examinations.

Since particular = passages of=20 the text will be referred to and read in class, please bring the = appropriate=20 texts to class.

3. Tests and = Assignments:

i) Quizzes (10% each). There will = be two=20 quizzes through the course of the semester (Feb. 8 and April 14). = Quizzes will=20 not be cumulative, but will test limited material that will be specified = in=20 class.

ii) Mid-Term Test (15%). = Cumulative test,=20 largely comparative in nature, administered March 10 in class.

iii) Paper (25%). = This paper=20 will be interpretive rather than research-based. Essay topics will be = handed out=20 in the first few weeks of the course. Exact parameters will be spelled = out at=20 that time. Papers will be submitted in class as well as through Safe = Assign.=20

iv) Final Exam (30%). The final = exam will=20 take place at the University mandated exam time (May 10^th,=20 10-11:50am). It will deal with the themes covered throughout the course, = which=20 is to say, it is a comprehensive exam. It will be comprised of essay = questions=20 for the most part.

Honors Students. Please note = that your=20 work will be graded in a more rigorous manner than students not in this = program.=20 Higher standards will apply to your work.

Grading Scheme: =

Attendance and = Participation:=20 10%

Quizzes: 20% (10% = each)

Midterm Test: = 15%

Term Essay: = 25%

Final Exam: = 30%

Grading=20 Scale:

93%-100%=20 =3D

90%-92.9%=20 =3D

A-

87.5%-89.9%=20 =3D

B+

83%-87.4%=20 =3D

80%-82.9%=20 =3D

B-

77.5%-79.9%=20 =3D

C+

60%-69.9%=20 =3D

Less=20 than 60% =3D

Lateness = Policy:

Quizzes and = midterm exam will=20 not be rescheduled unless there are extraordinary circumstances that = make it=20 impossible for the student to complete work or come to class. Let it be = clear=20 that only EXTRAORDINARY and unexpected circumstances will be considered. = For=20 example, a heavy workload within or without the university does not = count as=20 extraordinary =96and neither does a common cold or common traffic = problems. If=20 there is a serious medical problem that has impeded the student=92s = ability to do=20 his or her work, then please let the professor know and bring supporting = documentation. NO consideration will be given to those students who do = not alert=20 the professor of a problem prior to the due date of an = assignment,=20 presentation or exam.

For the essay, if = it is not=20 handed in on time (at the beginning of the class period when it is due), = late=20 penalties will apply. Each day of lateness will cost you 5% of your = essay grade.=20 Penalties accrue each day, including weekends and holidays, until the = paper is=20 received. For example, if you hand in the paper after the class period = but on=20 the same day the paper is due, you will incur a 5% penalty. Another 5% = will=20 accrue the following day, and so on. In principle, there are NO = exceptions to=20 this policy. This is a term paper. You will have over two months to work = on it.=20 It is your responsibility to work on it in a timely fashion such that = last=20 minute colds or work load surges or personal problems don=92t get in the = way of=20 your assignment. You are encouraged to seek guidance from the professor = on the=20 essay itself early in the semester to avoid last minute = difficulties.

Class Decorum:

You are expected = to be=20 courteous and collegial in this class. Here are some of the decorum=20 guidelines:

v = Be on time for class.

v = Do not leave during class. Use the = restroom, get=20 a drink of water, etc. before class begins or after it ends. If you must = leave=20 early or come in late, please provide a reasonable explanation and be as = undisruptive as possible when you are coming or going.

v = Respect your classmates. Do not interrupt = your=20 colleagues, and make sure that your comments are civil. Discussion is = wonderful=20 and encouraged, but it is only possible when we listen to one another = and make=20 comments that are courteous.

v = Do not disrupt lectures. No cell phones, = no=20 private conversations, no snoring. If you wish to interrupt to ask a = question,=20 please put your hand up. Questions are encouraged!

Unannounced = Quizzes:

The professor = reserves the=20 right to give unannounced quizzes if it becomes clear that students are = not=20 doing the assigned reading, and the quality of class participation and=20 discussion is unsatisfactory.

Religious Observance:

If classes or = assignments=20 coincide with your religious observance, please let the professor know = as soon=20 as possible so that you can be accommodated in the best possible way.

Extra Credit:

Extra credit = assignments will=20 not be given on an individual basis to raise final grades.

Students with=20 Disabilities:

A=20 student who believes that reasonable accommodations with respect to = course work=20 or other academic requirements may be appropriate in consideration of a=20 disability must (1) provide the required verification of the disability = to the=20 Center for Access-Ability Resources, (2) meet with the Center for = Access-Ability=20 Resources to determine appropriate accommodations, and (3) inform the = faculty in=20 charge of the academic activity of the need for accommodation. Students = are=20 encouraged to inform the faculty of their requests for accommodations as = early=20 as possible in the semester, but must make the requests in a timely = enough=20 manner for accommodations to be appropriately considered and reviewed by = the=20 university. If contacted by the faculty member, the staff of the Center = for=20 Access-Ability Resources will provide advice about accommodations that = may be=20 indicated in the particular case. Students who make requests for = reasonable=20 accommodations are expected to follow the policies and procedures of the = Center=20 for Access-Ability Resources in this process, including but not limited = to the=20 Student Handbook.

A=20 wide range of services can be obtained by students with disabilities, = including=20 housing, transportation, adaptation of printed materials, and advocacy = with=20 faculty and staff. Students with disabilities who need such services or = want=20 more information should contact the Center=20 for Access-Ability Resources at=20 815-753-1303.

Plagiarism = Policy:

According to the = NIU=20 Undergraduate Catalogue =93Students are guilty of plagiarism, = intentional or not,=20 if they copy material from books, magazines, or other sources without=20 identifying and acknowledging them. Students guilty of, or assisting = others in,=20 either cheating or plagiarism on an assignment, quiz, or examination may = receive=20 a grade of F for the course involved and may be suspended or dismissed = from the=20 university.=94 In short, all ideas that are not your own or well known = must be=20 footnoted. A general rule is that if the information cannot be found in = three or=20 more commonly available sources it should be footnoted. All direct = quotations=20 must be placed in quotation marks. These guidelines will be enforced. If = you are=20 unsure as to what should be footnoted either play it safe and footnote, = or ask=20 for assistance. Failure to adhere to the University=92s plagiarism = policy will=20 result in punishments ranging from a failed course grade to suspension = and even=20 expulsion, depending on the egregiousness of the infraction.

At a minimum, = flagrant=20 plagiarism will result in a failed grade on the assignment in = question.

Political Science Web=20 Site:

Students are strongly encouraged to = consult=20 the Department of Political Science web site on a regular basis. This=20 up-to-date, central source of information will assist students in = contacting=20 faculty and staff, reviewing course requirements and syllabi, exploring = graduate=20 study, researching career options, tracking department events, and = accessing=20 important details related to undergraduate programs and activities. To = reach=20 this site, go to http://polsci.niu.edu

Undergraduate Writing=20 Awards:

The=20 Department of Political Science recognizes, on an annual basis, = outstanding=20 undergraduate papers written in conjunction with 300-400 level political = science=20 courses or directed studies, such as independent studies or honors = theses.=20 Winners are expected to attend the Department=92s spring graduation = ceremony where=20 they will receive a certificate and a check for $50.00. No more than two = papers=20 may be submitted by a student. There is no requirement as to the = length of=20 papers submitted for the award. Often the Department awards prizes for = both an=20 outstanding short paper and an outstanding long paper. The number and = types of=20 award is dependent upon the papers submitted for consideration in any = given=20 year. Authors do not have to be political science majors or have a = particular=20 class standing. Only papers written in the previous calendar year are = considered=20 for the award. However, papers completed in the current spring semester = are=20 eligible for the following year=92s competition even if the student has=20 graduated. Papers can be = submitted=20 by students or faculty and must be supplied in triplicate to the=20 undergraduate secretary. All copies must have two cover = pages =96=20 one with the student=92s name and one without the student=92s = name. Papers are=20 not to be stapled or bound. Instead, please use paper = clips. Papers are generally due in = March and=20 notice of call for papers and submission deadlines will be = published in the=20 department e-announcements. You may also contact the department for = information=20 at 753-1015.

Religious=20 Observance:

If classes or = assignments=20 coincide and conflict with your religious observance, please let the = professor=20 know as soon as possible so that you can be accommodated in the best = possible=20 way.

Course Outline and Due = Dates:

v = The assignment and test dates are set in=20 stone.

v = The lecture schedule indicates the order = in which=20 we will be reading the works, and what excerpts we will be reading from = the=20 various authors. It is very likely that there will be some deviation = from the=20 schedule below, day to day. To know how to prepare for each class, it is = crucial=20 that you are always present.

January 18

Introduction

Fukuyama, End of History, Part I, = Chapter=20 4

January 20

Benjamin = Constant, =93The=20 Liberty of the Ancients compared with that of the Moderns=94=20 (Blackboard)

January 25

Locke, Second = Treatise,=20 Chapters 1 and 2

January 27

Locke, Second = Treatise,=20 Chapters 5 and 6

February 1

Locke, Second Treatise, = Chapters 9-14,=20 19

February 3

Locke, Second Treatise,=20 finish

February 8

Rousseau, Second Discourse, = Dedicatory=20 Letter

Quiz 1

February 10

Rousseau, Second Discourse, First=20 Part

February 15

Rousseau, Second Discourse, Second = Part

February 17

Rousseau, Second Discourse, Second = Part=20 con=92d

February 22

Mill, On Liberty, Chapter = 1

February 24

Mill, On Liberty, Chapter=20 2

March 1

Mill, On Liberty Chapters 3 = and=20 4

March 3

Mill, On Liberty, con=92d;=20

March 8

Review

March 10

Midterm Test &nbs= p; =20

March 15

Spring Break = J

March 17

Spring Break = J

March 22

Marx, German = Ideology,=20 pp.146-200

March 24

Marx, German = Ideology,=20 con=92d

March 29

Marx, Communist=20 Manifesto

March 31

Marx, Communist Manifesto,=20 con=92d

April 5

Nietzsche, Beyond Good & Evil,=20 =93Nietzsche=92s Preface=94 (p.1); =93On the Natural History of = Morals=94 (p.=20 95-118)

April 7

Nietzsche, Beyond Good & Evil, = =93Natural=20 History of Morals,=94 con=92d.

April 12

Nietzsche, Beyond Good & Evil, = =93Our=20 Virtues=94 (p.143-170)

April 14

Quiz 2

April 19

Nietzsche, Beyond Good & Evil, = =93Peoples=20 and Fatherlands=94 (p.171-198)

April 21

Fukuyama, End of History, Part II, = Chapter=20 5; Part III

April 26

Fukuyama, End of History, Part = III,=20 con=92d

April 28

Fukuyama, End of History, Part V=20

May 3

Fukuyama, End of History, Part V=20 con=92d

Papers Due

May 5

Review

Exam: 10am-11:50am, Tuesday, May = 10.