Power and Powerlessness

This course introduces students to the field of political theory through the study of the concepts of power, authority, and powerlessness. We study a wide range of theories and case studies on the origins and use of various types of power: political, institutional, cultural, personal, and religious. We study the difference between power and authority, how legitimacy is achieved and enacted, and how various "powerless" groups and individuals behave, react, and rebel. Readings include selections from the Bible, Thucydides, Hobbes, Luther, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, Weber, Foucault, J. Gaventa, and H. Arendt. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (Political Theory)/