POLITICS 408: UTOPIAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
Dr. Kimberly Hurd Hale
Office: 353 Brittain Hall
Phone: x2653
Email:
Office Hours: by appointment
Course Description
POLI 408: Utopian Political Thought. (3) (Writing Intensive) A study of the utopias and dystopias outlined by political thinkers throughout the ages. Students will study fictional societies ranging from Plato’s Republic to contemporary dystopian fiction. This course will examine the tension between theories of progress and theories of individual rights.
Additional Description: Is perfection possible? This is the question that has haunted the study of politics throughout the course of human history. Each age has grappled with the idea of utopia, the lure of a society free from hunger, poverty, pain, or even death. The very notion of progress implies that we are progressing towards something. A final state of being that has remained decidedly ambiguous; more often than not veering into dystopia. This course examines the various manifestations of utopian thought in political philosophy and literature. Using Plato’s Republic as a framework, we will explore the various utopias proposed by ancient Greek philosophy, the British and French Enlightenments, and modern popular culture. We seek to understand how utopian thinking has influenced the development of political philosophy, including our own society’s relationship to the ideas of utopia and dystopia.
Course Instructional Objectives
- Provide an overview of the philosophy behind utopian visions of political society
- Discuss the relationship between utopia and dystopia
- Discuss the relationship between utopian political thought and political theories such as progressivism and classical liberalism
- Discuss the relationship between fictional utopian societies and real-world utopian movements
- Improve critical thinking and analytical skills
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students are expected to be able to:
- Present oral and written arguments about the importance and influence of utopian thought in political philosophy and literature.
- Discuss the relationship between literature and philosophy and the importance of culture to political society.
- Analyze the connection between fictional utopias and real-world utopian movements
- Discuss how theories of natural rights, civil rights, and progress relate to utopian thinking
Required Texts
Bacon, Francis. Great Instauration and the New Atlantis. Ed. Jerry Weinberger (1991). Crofts Classics.
Plato. Republic. Trans. Alan Bloom (1991). Basic Books.
More, Thomas.Utopia (2003). Penguin Classics.
Ishiguro, Kazuo. Never Let Me Go. (2005). Vintage International.
LeGuin, Ursula. The Dispossessed (1994). Harper Voyager.
Orwell, George. 1984 (1950). Signet Classics.
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World (2005).Harper Modern Classics.
Atwood, Margaret. Handmaid’s Tale (1998). Anchor Books
Zamyatin, Yevgeny. We (1993) Penguin Classics.
Academic Integrity
Do not cheat or plagiarize on any assignment. You will regret it. Any act of cheating or plagiarism in this class will result in the student receiving a 0.0 (FX) for the course, and being reported to the Academic Integrity Officer. If you have questions about what is and is not allowed on any assignment, ask me BEFORE the assignment is due.
Hazardous Weather Contingency:
In the event that class is cancelled for hazardous weather (or anything else), I will email the class as soon as possible to let you know the assignment for the next class and how the missed class will be made up. Depending on circumstances, I may send you an electronic assignment, or rearrange the schedule of assignments.
Accommodations
Coastal Carolina University, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973/ Section 504, will provide reasonable accommodations for eligible students with disabilities. If you require special assistance, please see me privately and seek assistance directly from the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services. You are responsible for initiating arrangements of accommodations for tests and other assignments in collaboration with the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services and your professors. It is the responsibility of each student to keep up with daily assignments and changes to the syllabus. Incompletes and make-up assignments will only be given in the case of university-approved emergencies. If you miss class, do not email me to ask what you missed, consult the syllabus and contact one of your fellow students.
Grade Scale
92-100 = A
87-91 =B+
81-86 = B
76-80= C+
70-75 = C
65-69 = D+
60-64 = D
<60 = F
Assignments
Participation (20%): The quality of this class will depend largely on the quality of class participation. Participation is not possible if you are not in class. In accordance with university policy, students who miss more than 25% of class meetings will fail the course. Students are expected to read each assignment prior to class and come prepared to engage in thoughtful discussion. I encourage you to bring your own experiences, knowledge, and perspectives to the class. Each student will receive a monthly participation grade based on attendance and my own evaluation of your contribution to class discussions.
Reaction Papers (50%): Each student must write and present 5 reaction papers during the course of the semester. Students will choose the day of their presentations at the beginning of the semester. All changes in the schedule must be approved by me. You must sign up for at least 2 philosophical readings and 2 literary readings. Reaction papers should be 2-3 pages in length, and should provide a starting point for in-depth discussion of the assignment. Reaction papers should not be summaries. They should pick one aspect of the reading/film and present a thought-provoking argument or question. Papers that summarize or rehash previous discussions will receive lower grades than papers that try something new.
Fact/Fiction Comparison (10%): Each student must choose a real-world example of a utopian movement or ideology, and compare it to one of the fictional utopias or dystopias discussed in the course (3-4 pages).
Final Paper (20%): The Final Paper will be a thoughtful analysis of one of the texts or themes from the course. Each book of the Republic should be considered a separate text for the purposes of this paper. Primary texts must come from course readings; secondary texts must be suitable for an academic paper. The Final Paper will be due on the last day of class (10-12 pages).
Note: All papers must use proper grammar and either APA or Chicago style citations. Papers should be written with 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Calibri font, double-spaced, and use default margins.
Schedule of Assignments (Subject to Change)
Week One:
Introduction to Utopian Political Thought
Republic, Book 1 (327a-328b; 331c-343a)
Republic, Book 2 (368c-376d)
Week Two:
Metropolis (film)
Republic: Book 2 & 3 (377e-383d; 412b-417b)
Week 3:
Republic: Book 4 (427d-444a)
More: Utopia
Marx: Communist Manifesto (excerpts on Moodle)
Week 4:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (film)
Bacon: New Atlantis(Christianity and History)
Week 5:
Bacon: New Atlantis (Customs)
Bacon: New Atlantis (Salomon’s House)
Week 6;
Huxley: Brave New World
Republic: Book 5 (451c-471e)
Week 7:
Fact/Fiction Comparison Due
Blade Runner (film)
Week 8:
Orwell: 1984
Week 9:
Never Let Me Go (film)
Republic: Book 5 & 6 (472a-487a; 514a-502c)
Week 10:
LeGuin: The Dispossessed
Republic: Book 7 (514a-521c; 535a-541b)
Week 11:
Condorcet and the French Philosophes (excerpts on Moodle)
Republic: Book 8 (543c-576c)
Week 12:
Atwood: Handmaid’s Tale
Republic: Book 9 (576c-588a)
Week 13:
Zamyatin: We
Republic: Book 10 (603c-608b; 612b-621d)
Week 14:
Heidegger: Question Concerning Technology (excerpts on Moodle)
Final Paper Due