An introduction to the history of political thought, from Classical Greece to the 20th century. Through a careful reading of primary texts, students will explore how select canonical thinkers have conceived of the relationship between philosophy/science and politics, the nature of virtue, various regimes, justice and political order, political economy, historical progress (or regress), and political modernity. In addition to situating thinkers within their historical contexts, students will be encouraged to view the world of politics through various political philosophical frameworks.

The skills to be assessed include: • Knowledge of the main positions of canonical thinkers in the history of political thought • Understanding of their basic historical contexts • Ability to read ancient and modern texts with care, precision, and insight • Ability to analyze critically (and draw conclusions about) opposing positions & arguments • Ability to communicate, verbally & in writing, reasoned views on theoretical/political positions

The course introduces students to the fundamental questions of political life and to some of the most significant answers to them. What is the purpose of political life? Is it virtue, happiness, freedom, glory, or security? What is the significance of human nature for politics? How does the classical understanding of politics differ from the modern one? How does private property relate to justice and liberty? What are the structural and psychological elements of modernity? Is history going somewhere, and if so where, or is it instead going nowhere at all? How should we live, and what may we hope for? Thinkers include Plato, Aristotle, Polybius, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Smith, Nietzsche, Marx, and Weber.

Editions (and readings) provided in individual weeks. Course texts include: Plato's Apology of Socrates Plato's Republic Aristotle's Politics Aristotle's Ethics Polybius' Histories Machiavelli's The Prince Hobbes' Leviathan Locke's Second Treatise of Government Rousseau's Discourse on the Arts Rousseau's Discourse on Inequality Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals Marx & Engel's The Communist Manifesto Weber's Vocation Lectures Other articles and papers will be indicated or uploaded on the course’s web page

CLASS FORMAT Classes will be principally lectured based -- laptops, tablets, and cell phones must be stowed and out of sight in bags or coats. We will occasionally split into smaller groups for debates, activities, and focused discussions about particular passages. The instructor will also solicit student feedback and encourage class discussion at various moments throughout his formal lectures. Online component. On Wednesdays, class will meet for 45 min online sessions. These are mandatory, and we will focus on specific topics and themes arising from the course material, which are intended to help you to bring the course ideas alive and to apply the material to our contemporary moment.

MIDTERM (35%) AND FINAL EXAMINATION (45%) The examinations will be parallel in format, with the final longer than the midterm. Assessments will be written/oral. The midterm will be ninety minutes and held in class on Fri, March 15th. The final will be three hours long, though you may require less time. Each will involve knowledge-based, multiple choice questions, short answer questions (open questions), and select paragraph answer questions (i.e., open questions involving philosophical thinking, demonstrated understanding of the course material, and ability to evaluate critically opposing theoretical positions), each requiring a half page to a full page in response. The midterm centers on ancient thought, while the final will be comprehensive, including ancient and modern thought. Students will have some choice as to which paragraph questions they answer. The material of the examinations will track along with the course lectures, class activities, online sessions, and assigned readings. Materials will be posted to LUISS Learns which will facilitate note-taking and examination review. Non-attending students will be given an oral, comprehensive exam based on the course material and additional readings. Students who not take the final in the summer may keep their midterm and passage reflection grades through the winter exam period. If they exceed this window, they will be characterized as non-attending and thus need to take a comprehensive oral exam worth 100% of the course mark. At the end of the semester, Prof. Jaffe will be happy to meet with you to explain your grade if you have questions or concerns. PASSAGE REFLECTION (20%) In addition to the midterm and final examinations, students are required to write one, four hundred word passage reflection, approximately one and one half pages, normal font and margins, based on a prompt that the instructor will provide each week, beginning in week two. The assignment will then be due one week later. Students can write this reflection whenever they wish during the semester, but they can only write it on the material of the previous week. The instructor will post a rubric as to how these reflections must be written, and how they will be assessed. The purpose of the exercise is to get students to interpret carefully a passage of a major work of political theory, using the broader text to unpack the individual passage and the passage to shed light on the larger text. Being precise and concise is the essence of this exercise in excavating and demonstrating your understanding of the arguments of thinkers in the history of political thought. IF the first reflection is written between weeks 2-6, i.e., on the pre-midterm material -- the final, pre-midterm reflection is due on March 22nd -- students can write a second reflection after a meeting with a TA or the Professor to discuss their performance on the first. The best passage reflection of the two will then count toward the student's final mark. (Your passage reflection must use the assigned course editions, or you will receive a 0 mark.) The maximum score for each assignment is 30 points, weighted as per the above percentages, in the calculation of the overall mark. The maximum score for this course is 30, the passing score for this course is 18.

For those of you interested, please reach me at sjaffe@luiss.it.