Contemporary Political Thought

In this course we will survey political theory in the United States and Europe from 1945 to the present. Students will explore a broad range of topics, including the revival of political philosophy, relativism, rationalism, totalitarianism, contemporary liberal theory, communitarianism, conservatism, multiculturalism, and postmodernism. We will study leading works by some of the twentieth century’s most influential political thinkers. Authors will include Leo Strauss, Hannah Arendt, Michael Oakeshott, Isaiah Berlin, Eric Voegelin, John Rawls, Michael Sandel, Michael Walzer, and Michel Foucault. (Political Theory)/