- Achieve Civic Engagement
The ability to contribute to the civic life and well-being of state, local, tribal, national, and international communities as both a social responsibility and a life-long learning process.
- Consider the following as understood by various theorists and apply to a current political problem:
- The role of government in securing the public good
- The responsibility of the citizen in securing the public good.
- Propose a solution to a current political problem based upon principles of key theories covered in the course.
- Think Critically
The ability to use information, ideas and arguments from relevant perspectives to make sense of complex issues and solve problems.
- Compare and contrast the core ideas of theorists within the Western Political canon to one another.
- Apply key themes of Western Political Thought to current political events and problems.
- Write Effectively
The ability to develop, convey, and exchange ideas in writing, as appropriate to a given context and audience.
- Compose an analytical essay evaluating current political events or problems in the context of key concepts within the Western Political canon.
- Understand the Purpose of Government
- Explain the role of government in securing the public good in the context of various forms of government.
- Describe the distinction between the public good and private interest in the context of various forms of government.
- Explain the Relationships between the Citizen and the State
- Compare different models of citizenship, both ancient and modern.
- Consider the relationship between the citizen and the state in the context of justice, the law, rights, and freedom.
- Describe Power
- Describe the distinction between personal power and state power, and the limits of both.
- Describe the relationship between social and political organizations and power.
- Explain how social and political organizations can be used to channel and constrain power.
- Understand Rights and Liberty
- Identify concepts of individual rights and liberty within the context of Western political thought.
- Explain the role of representative government in securing individual rights and liberty.
- Consider the connection between consent and individual liberty.
- Consider the connection between diversity of thoughts and expression and individual liberty.
- Understand Justice
- Identify different concepts of justice within the context of Western political thought.
- Consider the relationship between justice and equality.
- Consider the relationship between justice and economic systems.
- Consider the relationship between justice and the law.
- Understand Democracy
- Compare models of different democratic systems and their outcomes.
- Consider the rights of the majority versus the minority in democratic systems.
- Engage in Criticism
- Consider contemporary debate addressing the limits of traditional Western political thought in its treatment of gender, culture, and diversity.