Political Science 620 Ron Schmidt Graduate Seminar in Political Theory Office: SPA-253 Fall 2010 Phone: 562.985.4717 Office Hours: T 5:30-6:30 pm; Th 3:30-4:30 pm email: rschmidt@csulb.edu COURSE OUTLINE Purpose and focus of Course: The general purpose of this course is to expose graduate students to the sub-discipline of political theory by engaging them in a comparative critical analysis of several approaches to its work. After a general overview of the subject, this semester’s course will focus on the meaning of citizenship in a rapidly changing and “globalizing” world. We will critically examine and compare several different approaches to the meaning of citizenship in a world that is rapidly changing in regard to the role of political agency by citizens, and is “shrinking” through the increasing mobility and interdependence of peoples, commerce, capital, and political life. What can citizenship mean in such a world? How do these changes in our world affect traditional understandings of citizenship? These are the central questions we will engage in this course through a critical and comparative examination of multiple contemporary political theorists. Along the way, the intent is that students will come to better understand what it is that political theorists are trying to do, as well as improve their own theoretical skills for the critical engagement of political life. COURSE FORMAT: This course is a graduate seminar, meaning that the instructor will make every effort to avoid lecturing. The format will center on discussions of assigned reading materials and student essays on those materials. This means students must commit to finishing reading assignments before coming to class, and must be willing to contribute to seminar discussions as appropriate. Contributions to discussions include both speaking and listening attentively and respectfully to others. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: The requirements of the course include: reading assigned course materials, preparing and posting (via BeachBoard) assigned summaries of course reading materials & discussion questions, writing three essays as assigned, and contributing to class discussions. See the course BeachBoard site (Assignments Page, Discussion Assignments Folder) for information on the preparation and posting of assigned summaries of course reading materials. GRADING: Your grade in this course will be based on your contributions to class discussions (including the posting of summaries of course reading materials), 25%; and three essays on assigned topics (25% each). The writing prompts will be posted on the Beachboard Assignments Page (Writing Assignments Folder) at least one week prior to their due date. BOOKS TO PURCHASE: Somers, Margaret. 2008. Genealogies of Citizenship: Markets, Statelessness, and the Right to Have Rights (New York: Cambridge University Press). ISBN: 978-0-521-79394-0 Bauman, Zygmunt. 1999. In Search of Politics (Stanford: Stanford University Press). ISBN: 0-8047-3834-3 Bosniak, Linda. 2006. The Citizen and the Alien: Dilemmas of Contemporary Membership (Princeton: Princeton University Press). ISBN: 978-0-691-13828-2 Shachar, Ayelet. 2009. The Birthright Lottery: Citizenship and Global Inequality (Cambridge: Harvard University Press) ISBN: 978-0-674-03271-2 Parekh, Bhikhu. 2008. A New Politics of Identity: Political Principles for an Interdependent World (New York: Palgrave Macmillan) ISBN 13: 978-1-4039-0647-2 Note: Additional readings will be assigned, and can be found on the Beachboard course web-site. SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS: Week 1: (Aug 31) – No class; read introductory materials – Beachboard Assignments Page, Readings Assignments #0-a & 0-b. Week 2: (Sept 7) –Background materials on citizenship – Beachboard Assignments Page, Reading Assignments # 1-5. Week 3: (Sept 14) – Somers, pp. 1-170 Week 4: (Sept 21) – Somers, pp. 171-288 Week 5: (Sept 28) – Bauman, pp. 1-108 Week 6: (Oct 5) – Bauman, pp. 109-202 Week 7: (Oct 12) – First paper due Week 8: (Oct 19) – Bosniak, pp. 1-76 Week 9: (Oct 26) – Bosniak, pp. 77-140 Week 10: (Nov 2) – Shachar, pp. 1-108 Week 11: (Nov 9) – Shachar, pp. 111-190 Week 12: (Nov 16) – Second paper due Week 13: (Nov 23) – No class – Thanksgiving Holiday Week 14: (Nov 30) – Huntington essay (Beachboard Assignments Page, Reading Assignment #6 ; Parekh, pp. 1-129 Week 15: (Dec 7) – Parekh, pp. 130-278 Week 16: (Dec 14)

Political Science 620 Ron Schmidt

Graduate Seminar in Political Theory Office: SPA-253

Fall 2010 Phone: 562.985.4717

Office Hours: T 5:30-6:30 pm; Th 3:30-4:30 pm email: rschmidt@csulb.edu

COURSE OUTLINE

Purpose and focus of Course:

The general purpose of this course is to expose graduate students to the sub-discipline of political theory by engaging them in a comparative critical analysis of several approaches to its work. After a general overview of the subject, this semester’s course will focus on the meaning of citizenship in a rapidly changing and “globalizing” world. We will critically examine and compare several different approaches to the meaning of citizenship in a world that is rapidly changing in regard to the role of political agency by citizens, and is “shrinking” through the increasing mobility and interdependence of peoples, commerce, capital, and political life. What can citizenship mean in such a world? How do these changes in our world affect traditional understandings of citizenship? These are the central questions we will engage in this course through a critical and comparative examination of multiple contemporary political theorists. Along the way, the intent is that students will come to better understand what it is that political theorists are trying to do, as well as improve their own theoretical skills for the critical engagement of political life.

COURSE FORMAT:

This course is a graduate seminar, meaning that the instructor will make every effort to avoid lecturing. The format will center on discussions of assigned reading materials and student essays on those materials. This means students must commit to finishing reading assignments before coming to class, and must be willing to contribute to seminar discussions as appropriate. Contributions to discussions include both speaking and listening attentively and respectfully to others.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

The requirements of the course include: reading assigned course materials, preparing and posting (via BeachBoard) assigned summaries of course reading materials & discussion questions, writing three essays as assigned, and contributing to class discussions.

See the course BeachBoard site (Assignments Page, Discussion Assignments Folder) for information on the preparation and posting of assigned summaries of course reading materials.

GRADING:

Your grade in this course will be based on your contributions to class discussions (including the posting of summaries of course reading materials), 25%; and three essays on assigned topics (25% each). The writing prompts will be posted on the Beachboard Assignments Page (Writing Assignments Folder) at least one week prior to their due date.

BOOKS TO PURCHASE:

Somers, Margaret. 2008. Genealogies of Citizenship: Markets, Statelessness, and the Right to Have Rights (New York: Cambridge University Press). ISBN: 978-0-521-79394-0

Bauman, Zygmunt. 1999. In Search of Politics (Stanford: Stanford University Press). ISBN: 0-8047-3834-3

Bosniak, Linda. 2006. The Citizen and the Alien: Dilemmas of Contemporary Membership (Princeton: Princeton University Press). ISBN: 978-0-691-13828-2

Shachar, Ayelet. 2009. The Birthright Lottery: Citizenship and Global Inequality (Cambridge: Harvard University Press) ISBN: 978-0-674-03271-2

Parekh, Bhikhu. 2008. A New Politics of Identity: Political Principles for an Interdependent World (New York: Palgrave Macmillan) ISBN 13: 978-1-4039-0647-2

Note: Additional readings will be assigned, and can be found on the Beachboard course web-site.

SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS:

Week 1: (Aug 31) – No class; read introductory materials – Beachboard Assignments Page, Readings Assignments #0-a & 0-b.

Week 2: (Sept 7) –Background materials on citizenship – Beachboard Assignments Page, Reading Assignments # 1-5.

Week 3: (Sept 14) – Somers, pp. 1-170

Week 4: (Sept 21) – Somers, pp. 171-288

Week 5: (Sept 28) – Bauman, pp. 1-108

Week 6: (Oct 5) – Bauman, pp. 109-202

Week 7: (Oct 12) – First paper due

Week 8: (Oct 19) – Bosniak, pp. 1-76

Week 9: (Oct 26) – Bosniak, pp. 77-140

Week 10: (Nov 2) – Shachar, pp. 1-108

Week 11: (Nov 9) – Shachar, pp. 111-190

Week 12: (Nov 16) – Second paper due

Week 13: (Nov 23) – No class – Thanksgiving Holiday

Week 14: (Nov 30) – Huntington essay (Beachboard Assignments Page, Reading Assignment #6 ; Parekh, pp. 1-129

Week 15: (Dec 7) – Parekh, pp. 130-278

Week 16: (Dec 14) – Third Paper Due