Representative Western Thinkers

Paper Code: 
DPOL 801(A)
Credits: 
06
Contact Hours: 
90.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

The objectives of this course are to:

1. Make learners familiarise with the various schools of political thoughts

2. Acquaint the students with knowledge advocated by various political philosophers on state and politics

3. Provide a framework to enable critical thinking and analysis of the state-society relations

 

Course Outcomes (CO)

Course

Learning outcomes (at course level)

Learning and teaching strategies

Assessment Strategies

Paper Code

Paper Title

DPOL 801(A)

 

 

 

 

RepresentativeWestern Thinkers

CO71:   Demonstrate knowledge and  able to analyze the political and social thought of various prominent Western thinkers

CO72: Understand the various schools of political thought of Western Political Philosophy

CO73: Understand existing, contemporary and emerging trends in Politics with reference to how thinkers viewed them in the context of their times

CO74:  Acquaint them with the relevance of these thoughts in contemporary times

CO 75: Analyze the ideological thoughts of thinkers

Approach in teaching:

Interactive Lectures, Discussion, Tutorials, Reading assignments, Power Point Presentation

 

Learning activities for the students:

Self-learning assignments, Effective questions, Seminar presentation, Giving tasks.

Class test, Semester end examinations, Quiz, Solving problems in tutorials, Assignments, Presentation, Individual and group projects
 
18.00
Unit I: 
Greek Political Philosophy

The fundamentals of Greek Political Philosophy, Philosophical ideas of Socrates,

Plato: Justice, Education, Communism of Wives and Property, Philosopher King, Theory of Best state, Second Ideal State

Aristotle: State, Slavery, Citizenship, Resolution, concept of Best State, Trends in Political Philosophy after Aristotle- Influence of Christianity on Theory of State

18.00
Unit II: 
Middle Age Philosophy

St. Thomas Aquinas: Political Theory, Views about Laws and Justice, Nature of State, The Church and the State;

Machiavelli: Views about human nature, Child of Renaissance, Nation State and power Politics, Religion, Morality and Politics

Jean Bodin: Political Ideas and Concept of Sovereignty

 

18.00
Unit III: 
The Contractualists

Thomas Hobbes: Development of Social Contract Theory, Human Nature, State of Nature, Social Contract, Sovereignty, Resistance of Individual against State

John Locke: Human nature, State of Nature, Theory of Social Contract, Private Property, Theory of Revolution, Natural rights and Natural Law, Rousseau and his views about Social Contract, Doctrine of General Will

18.00
Unit IV: 
Utilitarians ,Idealist

Bentham- Basic principles of Utilitarianism, Political Implications of the philosophy, State and Punishment, Prison reforms, function and purpose of State,

J. S Mill - As a prophet of Empty Liberty, revisions of Bentham’s Utilitarianism

Fredrich Hegel- Dialectical Materialism
T.H.Green- Theory of State, Resistance to State, War

18.00
Unit V: 
Socialists

Marx- Basic Principles of Marxian Philosophy, Materialistic Interpretation of History, Theory of Surplus value, Origin and function of State, Theme of Alienation, Theory of class struggle

Lenin- Leninism- Definitions and Nature, Lenin’s contribution to Marxism, Theory of Party Organisation, Theory of Imperialism,

Mao Zedong- Communism and Cultural Revolution

 

Essential Readings: 

Ø  Gauba, O.P., (2021), Western Political Thought, New Delhi, Mayur Paperbacks

Ø  Sharma, U., & Sharma, S.K.,(2021), Western Political Thought: From Plato to Burke, New Delhi , Atlantic Publishers

Ø  Wayper, C.L.,(2021), Political Thought, India, Aitbs Publishers

Ø  Suda, J.P.,( 2020), History of Political Thought: (Vol. I&II), Merrut, K. Nath & Co

Ø  Boucher, D.,&  Kelly, P.,(2017)Political Thinkers, London,Oxford University Press

Ø  Mukherjee S. (2015), History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx, New Delhi,Prentice Hall of India

References: 

Ø  Sabine,G.H.,(2019), History of Political Theory,New Delhi, Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd.

Ø  Nelson B.R.,(2017),Western Political Thought, Second Edition, New Delhi, Pearson Education

Ø  Skoble,A. & Machan,T., (2007), Political Philosophy: Essential Selections, New Delhi, Pearson Education

Ø  Adam, I., & Dyson, R.W.,(2004),Fifty Great Political Thinkers, London, Routledge

Ø  Coleman,J., (2000), A History of Political Thought: From Ancient Greece to Early Christianity, London, Blackwell

Ø  Berki,R.N., (1977),The History of Political Thought: A Short Introduction, United States,  Rowman and Littlefield

Ø  Parekh ,B., & Pantham, T., (1987), Political Discourse: Explorations in Indian and Western Political Thought, New Delhi, Sage Publications

Ø  Barker, E.,The Political Thought of Plato and Aristotle, Dover Publications, New Delhi, 1964.

Ø  Hallowell, J.H., Main Currents in Modern Political Thought, Holt, New York, 1960.

 

E-Resources-

 

Ø  McClelland  J.S.,  A History of western political thought  (2005) , New York ,Taylor & Francis     Can be  retrieved from   ISBN 0-203-98074-3 Master e-book ISBN.

     ISBN 0-415-11961-8 (hbk)

      https://e-docs.eplo.int/phocadownloadpap/userupload/aportinou-

      eplo.int/28e489843d193ca736aa1019d09614.pdf

Ø  Nannerl O. Keohane, Western Political Thought  (2014),Oxford University Press, Can be retrived as https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199653881.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199653881-e-001

 

Journals-

Ø  The Indian Journal of Political Science

Ø  Political Science Review

Ø  The Indian Journal of Politics

Ø  Political Science Quarterly

 

 

 

 

Academic Year: 
2023-24
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