POLT 797I.01/ HUMA 730.01: POLITICS AND RELIGION
Spring 2011
Wed., 6:10-9:00
Horton 325
Prof. Haight
INTENTION: The relationship between religious belief and practice, on the one hand, and political philosophy and law, on the other, has been a persistent concern of political communities since antiquity. This course will examine that relationship through careful readings of selected ancient and modern works in the history of Western political philosophy.
FORMAT: The course meets once a week for three hours; there will be a brief break at the middle of each class meeting. The course is an advanced seminar; hence, students must attend all class meetings, must read all assignments carefully before each class, and must take an active part in class discussions. Failure to follow any of these demands will have a seriously negative effect on students’ grades. Assignments are due on the date on which they appear on the syllabus.
GRADING: Students’ grades will be based on three short papers due at designated intervals throughout the semester; on written discussion questions prepared and handed in by students for each class meeting; on a final paper; and on class participation.
Questions to be addressed in short papers will be provided by the instructor during each class meeting and/or by email; papers in answer to a question should be turned in at the following class meeting. Students may hand short papers before the due date; if dissatisfied with their grade, they may, by the due date, submit another paper. The latest due date for each of the short papers is indicated on the syllabus; late papers will be marked down at least a full letter grade.
Final papers are due at the last meeting of the class; students must receive approval of their final paper topics from the instructor.
3 short papers @ 15% each:45%
final paper:25%
discussion questions:15%
class participation:15%
100%
PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: Individual cases will be handled initially by the instructor of the course concerned, as required by the instructor’s professional responsibility to assess the performance of his or her students. The instructor will notify the student of the alleged infraction and what course of action and penalty the instructor believes appropriate; the student will be allowed an opportunity to rebut the allegation. The initial notification and conference are to be conducted informally. The chair of the department offering the course should be apprised of any actions taken. The penalty imposed by the instructor may not exceed failure in the course, in which case the student should be informed in writing that a failing grade is being assigned for academic misconduct and that further appropriate action may be taken by the student’s college dean. Cases shall be reported to the student’s college dean at the discretion of the instructor and department chair, except when a failing grade in the course is assigned for academic misconduct, in which case the student’s college dean shall be notified of that fact.
For complete procedures, see
REQUIRED BOOKS:
Fustel de Coulanges, N. The AncientCity. Johns Hopkins. 0-8018-2304-8.
Hobbes, T. Leviathan. Penguin. 978-0-14-043195-7.
Hume, D. Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. Hackett. 978-087220-402-7.
Lilla, M. The Stillborn God. Vintage. 978-140007913-1.
Locke, J. Letter Concerning Toleration. Hackett. 978-0-915145-60-7.
Nietzsche, F. The Gay Science. Vintage. 978-0-394-71985-6.
Shakespeare, W. The Merchant of Venice. Penguin. 0-14-070706-9.
All books are available from the Durham Book Exchange. Online sites for additional reading assignments are indicated with such assignments.
ASSIGNMENTS:
class meeting:Assignment:
Wed., Jan. 26:First class meeting. Introduction to the course.
In-class reading: Plato, Euthyphro,
Wed. Feb. 2:AncientCity, Books I-III.
Lilla, 3054.
Nietzsche, Gay Science, #343-#352.
Wed., Feb. 9:AncientCity, Book V.
Sophocles, Antigone:
Wed., Feb. 16:Merchant of Venice.
Wed., Feb., 23:SHORT PAPER #1 DUE.
Lilla, 55-91.
Leviathan, Introduction; chaps. 1-14.
Wed., Mar. 2:Leviathan, chaps. 17-18; 20; 26; 29-32.
Hume, “Of the Immortality of the Soul,” in
Dialogues, 91-97.
Wed., Mar. 9:Leviathan, chaps. 35-36; 43; 45-47; Review and
Conclusion.
Hume, “Of Miracles,” in Dialogues, 107-125.
Mar. 14-18:Spring Break.
Wed., Mar. 23:SHORT PAPER #2 DUE.
Lilla, 91-103.
Locke, Letter Concerning Toleration, 21-58.
Wed., Mar. 30:Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, 1-89.
Wed., Apr. 6:Lilla, 107-162,
Rousseau, “Profession of Faith of a Savoyard
Vicar”:
Wed., Apr. 13:SHORT PAPER #3 DUE.
Lilla, 163-213.
Rousseau, “The Civil Religion” [The Social
Contract, Book IV, chap. 8]:
Tocqueville, Democracy in America; selections
dealing with religion: Vol. I, chap. 17, “Principle
Causes which Tend to Maintain the Democratic
Republic in the United States”; Vol. II, Book 1,
chap. 5, “How Religion in the United States
Avails Itself of Democratic Tendencies.”
home.html
Wed., Apr. 20:Nietzsche, Gay Science, Books I-III.
Lilla, 217-309.
Wed., Apr. 27:Nietzsche, Gay Science, Books I-V.
Wed., May 4:Last class meeting.
FINAL PAPER DUE.