POS 390
Ancient and Medieval Political Theory
Professor Ronald
Schmidt 126 Bedford St.
Spring 2006 780-4581
OH: Thursday 2:30-5
or by appt.
Email: rschmidt@maine.edu
We tend to think of texts in political theory as a canonical set of works that stand outside of history, but many of the most influential works in this course arose during moments of crisis. As political cultures and institutions undergo periods of rapid change and corruption, theorists have attempted to understand the nature of those changes and to forge a new understanding of the relationship of citizens to their political communities. Through a close examination of a series of important readings in the classical and medieval periods, we will explore questions that were of vital importance at such moments of crisis and that are crucial to us as well: What role should politics play in education? How is political identity formed? How can the theorist preserve or transform political identity in times of crisis? Students will have the opportunity to explore these questions in papers and discussion.
It would be impossible to cover all of ancient and medieval Western political thought in one college term, so we will be investigating these specific questions by analyzing a limited number of documents. I will lecture on the readings and their historical context, but students will be required to participate in the analysis of our readings, and paper questions will draw on a wide variety of readings (including plays). Three papers will decide the majority of the grade. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a failing grade in the class. Class participation is also important to the students’ final grade. Grades will be determined as follows:
First paper (3 to 5 pages) -- Due February 14: 15%
Second paper (7 to 10 pages) – Due April 6: 30%
Final Paper (10 pages) – Due May 8: 40%
Participation: 15%
The assigned reading is below, will be available at the bookstore and will be on reserve at the library.
POS 390 Reader
Aeschylus 1: Oresteia, Lattimore trans. (University of Chicago Press)
The Last Days of Socrates, Plato, Tredennick trans. (Penguin Books)
The Republic of Plato, Bloom trans. (BasicBooks)
The Politics of Aristotle, Lord trans. (University of Chicago Press)
The Political Writings of St. Augustine, Tkacz, Kries trans. (Hackett Pub. Co.)
The Book of the City of Ladies, Christine de Pizan, Richards trans. (Perseabooks)
POS 390
Assignments
January 17, 19, 24
No reading assigned
Recommended
reading: The Greeks (H.D.F. Kitto), The Iliad, The
Odyssey
Greek Tragedy and
Political Theory
January 26:
Agamemnon, Aeschylus
January 31:
The Libation Bearers, Aeschylus
The Eumenides, Aeschylus
February 2:
The Peloponnesian War, Books I, II excerpts (Thucydides; Reader)
28 Days Later (2002; dir. Danny Boyle): Evening Screening
February 7:
The Peloponnesian War, Books III, V excerpts (Thucydides; Reader)
February 9:
The Apology (in The Last Days of Socrates)
February 14:
The Crito (in The Last Days of Socrates)
First
Paper Due
February 16:
The Republic, Books I-III
February 21, 23:
Winter
Break
February 27:
The Republic, Books IV-VI
March 2:
The Republic, Books VII-X
Aristotle
March 7:
The Politics (Books I, II)
March 9:
The Politics (Books III - V )
March 14:
The Politics (Books VI - VIII)
March 16:
No Class
March 21, 23:
No reading assigned
Recommended reading: The Early History of Rome, Livy (Penguin),
Rome and Italy, Livy (Penguin); From Alexander to Constantine,
Ernest Barker, editor
March 28, 30:
Spring
Break
April 4:
On the Commonwealth, excerpts (Cicero; Reader)
April 6:
The Agricola (Tacitus; Reader)
Spartacus (1960; dir. Stanley Kubrick)
Second
Paper Due
April 11:
The Political Writings (The Retractions; The City of God Books I-V)
April 13:
The Political Writings (The City of God, Books XIV, XVIII, XIX)
April 18:
The Political Writings (“The Compatibility of Christianity and Politics”;
“The Use of Persecution”; “The Status of Women”, “Lying”)
April 20:
Summa Theologica, excerpts (Aquinas; Reader)
Recommended Reading: Mont St. Michel and Chartres, Henry Adams,
The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco
April 25:
Summa Theologica, excerpts (Aquinas; Reader)
On Kingship (Aquinas; Reader)
April 27:
The Book of the City of Ladies, Part I
May 2:
The Book of the City of Ladies, Parts II and III
May 4
Final Paper Due
May 8
Should you need
services or accommodations due to a disability to fully participate in the
class, please speak with me or contact the office of Academic Support for
Students with Disabilities, LB 242.