PHI 240 Fall
Jason ReadTheme: Politics and Ideology. This course will examine ideology as a central concept to understanding politics. We will begin by examining what could be called the prehistory of ideology, the way in which La Boetie, Machiavelli and Spinoza understood distortion and deception to be integral to politics. We will also look at attempts to construct a politics of truth and rationality that could respond to the distortions and deceptions of politics, Dewey and Lippman. We will also examine contemporary theories of ideology, Althusser, Debord, and Balibar. We will then examine race as a particular ideology. Lastly we will turn our attention to three books on contemporary ideology, Charles Mills' The Racial Contract, Kate Manne's Down Girl, and Yves Citton's Ecology of Attention. Course Outcomes 1. Students will be able to understand different theories of ideology and the intersection of theories of knowledge and theories of politics in the tradition of philosophy. 2. Students will examine how technology, economics, and social relations shape and determine ideology 3. Students will investigate the ideologies shaping contemporary politics, their sources and influences, as well as how they shape attitudes such as racism and sexism. 4. Students will examine the ideologies that shape their own understanding of politics and society. 5. Students will develop habits of attention, learning, and thinking that make it possible for them to engage the ideologies that shape their world. Assignments: Two Essays. One take home midterm analyzing and evaluating the history of political philosophy (5-7 pages, 35% of grade) and one paper critically examining contemporary uses and theories of ideology (5-7 pages, 35% of grade). Late papers will be penalized a partial letter grade for each day they are late (From an A to an A-after one day, from an A to a B+ after two, and so on). For information about how essays will be evaluated please see the guidelines for evaluation on the Writing Across the Curriculum homepage Attendance/Participation: Attendance and participation are important parts of the class, making up 30% of the grade. Since this class is being offered online participation means watching videos and contributing to weekly discussion boards. Academic Integrity. Using materials or ideas without proper citation is plagiarism. In other words, presenting words (as in a quotation) or ideas (as in paraphrasing) of others as your own is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense. Anyone caught plagiarizing will receive an F in the course, and will be reported to the Office of Community Standards. (Note that the act of using words or ideas without giving credit is plagiarism; motivation is not relevant. Ignorance or sloppiness is not an excuse for plagiarism.) Contact me if you have any questions about how to cite a source. One word of advice, avoid online sources like sparknotes, or sites offering someone's notes online, they are often of dubious quality. Content Warning: This class will deal with religion, racism, and sexism. One book in particular, Mann's Down Girl is quite upfront about violence, sexism, and misogyny, dealing frankly with discussions of sexual violence against women.
