Modern Political Theory (POT3045)

Constant Two Liberties

Karl Marx ()—born in German Rhineland to Jewish parents who converted to Christianity just before Karl’s birth • entered the University of Bonn in 1835 to study law, but had to withdraw because he spent too much time drinking and partying • transferred to the University of Berlin, but turned to study of philosophy after exposure to the ideas of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

Course Overview • what is means to study modern political theory • unlike most other courses in Political Science (or the social sciences more generally), as a political theory course we will focus on concepts and theories developed in works of political philosophy • as a course in modern political theory, we will focus mainly on how power is exercised • as for the modern part of MPT, we will examine major ideas and recurring themes in political thought of major thinkers of modernity...