1. Political Theory and LAW
ETHR 104
Fall Semester 2012

2. Political Theory and Law
What is this course about?

3. Political Theory and Law
the ‘Reading’? the ‘Exams’?

4. Political Theory and Law
General Outline:
Week 1 – Introduction to Political Theory
Week 2 – Pre-Modern Political Theory
Week 3 & 4 – Power and Authority
Week 5 – Law and Order
Week 6 – Rights
Week 7 – Freedom
Midterm Examination (Novermber 14th)

5. Political Theory and Law
General Outline:
Week 9 – Freedom and Religion
Week 9 – Freedom and Tolerance
Week 10 – Equality
Week 11 – Justice
Week 12 – Democracy
Week 13 – Film (?)
Week 14 – Essay writing & Revision
Final Examination

6. Political Theory and Law
Week 1
Introduction to Political Theory

7. Political Theory and Law

9. Political Theory and Law
"We will glorify war—the world’s only hygiene—militarism, patriotism, the destructive gesture of freedom-bringers, beautiful ideas worth dying for, and scorn for woman. We will destroy the museums, libraries, academies of every kind, will fight moralism, feminism, every opportunistic or utilitarian cowardice. "

10. Political Theory and Law
Umberto Boccioni, “The city rises”, 1910
Futurist Manifesto, points 9 & 10

12. Political Theory and Law
Pablo Picasso, “Guernica”, 1937

14. Political Theory and Law
"Although I go before you, please comrades, maintain firm in the struggle." - Lee Kyung Hae

15. Political Theory and Law
Permaculture – Urban Permaculture

17. Political Theory and Law
Benazir Bhutto’s funeral – December 28th, 2007

18. Political Theory and Law
Being ‘Political’ can be…
advocating a way o file,
defending certain values,
stating an opinion,
joining a community,
forming alliances,
fighting for a cause...
… so not just voting at general elections!

19. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
What is Political ‘Theory’?

20. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
Political Philosophy Philosophy is the search for wisdom and understanding

21. Political theory and law
Philosophy is not ‘Science’ Political Philosophy and Political Theory Political Theory is not ‘Political Science’

22. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
Critical evaluation of political beliefs
Clarification and refinement of concepts employed in political discourse

23. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
Two different ways of studying Political Theory: - Ideologies - Concepts

24. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
Ideology: “Any comprehensive and mutually consistent set of ideas by which a social group makes sense of the world”

25. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
What is a ‘Concept’?

26. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
“A concept is a general idea about something, usually expressed in a single word or a short phrase”

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A concept is…
General
Idea
Tools with which we think
 “The building blocks of human knowledge”

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A concept is not…
Fact
Facts have an objective, demonstrable existence.
Value
Values refer to moral principles or ideals.

29. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
A Political Concept is different from a…
Moral Concept
Legal Concept

30. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
What is a Political Concept?
The building blocks of political understanding
There is no neutral or objective definition of a political concept
“Essentially contested”

31. POLITICAL THEORY AND LAW
Political Theory in the 20th century
Western Political Thought