Introduction to Political Theory

Is political freedom about doing what you want, sharing power, or actively participating in political life? Is freedom an inherently individual practice or a necessarily collective one? A personal or public matter? What secures freedom and what erodes it? What is the relationship of political freedom to power, equality, community and identity? What if humans don’t want to be free?

In this course, we will pursue these questions in the context of reading classics in Western political theory as well as more contemporary writings. We will also consider selected political problems and debates, e.g., do hate speech laws protect or infringe freedom? what kind of freedom does neoliberal globalization promote?