DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF GHANA
FIRST SEMESTER, 2015/2016
COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST
LECTURER: DR. EVANS
AGGYREY-DARKOH
COURSE OUTLINE AND READINGS
COURSE
TITLE
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SOCIAL AND POLITICAL THEORY (GROUP B)
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COURSE
CODE
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POLI 442
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COURSE
CREDITS
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3
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PURPOSE
AND OBJECTIVES
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Welcome to POLI 442,
Social & Political Theory. The course is designed to introduce you, to
the nature, scope and role of Social and Political Theory. The word Theory is
derived from the Greek word theoria which means mental focus. Social and Political
theorizing therefore becomes whatever a person discovers as a result of
serious introspective mental focus and speculations. Social and Political
theory as a distinct discipline emerged in the 20th century and was largely
equated with an attitude of critical thinking, based on rationality, logic
and objectivity, as well as the desire for knowledge through a-posteriori methods of discovery, rather
than a-priori methods of tradition.
The course presents an attempt to provide a comprehensive taxonomy for
explaining socio-political issues. For example, there have been numerous
coups and military interventions in Africa. An attempt to study and observe
these phenomena in order to provide a coherent explanation falls within the
realm of theorizing. It is logically plausible for one to argue that social
and political theorizing is part of political philosophy as one cannot offer
an explanation of a phenomenon without first doing some serious thinking
about it. With this in mind, it is easy to link social and political
theory to deep seated philosophical discussions.
The
course also deals with the expositions of classical thinkers that must often
be contextualized to help in understanding contemporary issues of social and
political discourse. We must notify you in advance that given the somewhat
abstract nature of this course, it tends to be a “scare-crow” to many
undergraduates. However, what such students fail to realize is that far from
being a thorn in their flesh, social and political theory is their friend.
Indeed, if you are interested in Political Science, as we suppose, and if you
are interested in pursuing further studies in Law, then you should love
social and political theory the more. This is because; political theory is “the
father of Political Science.” Again some of the critical issues that
would be thought in Jurisprudence for law students are delved into by this
course. It is therefore important to study this course as it assures you of a
firm foundation for future political and intellectual discourses. It helps
you to appreciate “what is political” or the domain of politics; approaches
to the study of politics and other critical theories of politics that helps
you to better understand the key issues that would preoccupy you, an upcoming
Political Scientist. In our discussions, we will draw examples from the
global setting with emphasis on Africa and Ghana. We will contextualize the
issues within the contemporary world on order to demystify the course.
At the end of the
course, you should be able to:
·
Define
politics from your own perspective;
·
Explain
the realm and domain of politics
·
Explain
the scientific methodology and approach to the study of politics
·
Identify and explain the basic tenets and features of normative
political theory, logical positivism/behavioralism, institutionalism
etc
·
Define and explain the basic features of feminism, noting its
relevance in modern times
·
Distinguish between Constitutionalism and Rule of Law
·
Explain the nature of modern democracy etc, etc
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OFFICE
LOCATION
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Department of Political Science,
University of Ghana, Room 13
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OFFICE
HOURS
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Thursday
1pm-5pm
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EMAIL
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eaggreydarkoh@ug.edu.gh
or eadarkoh@yahoo.com
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LECTURE
PERIOD & VENUE
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Thursday 5.30pm-7.20 @ JQB 19
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WEEK
NO.
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LECTURE
TOPIC
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TUTORIALS
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ASSESSMENT
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1
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Nature
and Scope of Politics
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Teaching/Graduate Assistants to assist
students in discussing the nature and scope of “the political”
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2
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The Science of Politics
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Teaching/Graduate Assistants to assist
students in defining and discussing the science of politics.
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3
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Normative Political Theory
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Students to identify and discuss the main
arguments of normativism
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4
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Normative Political Theory
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Students to discuss the contributions of
NPT to the study of politics as well as its weaknesses
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5
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Logical Positivism/Bahavioralism
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Students to discuss the main arguments of
logical positivism
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6
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Logical Positivism/Bahavioralism:
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Students to discuss the strengths and weaknesses
of the Behavioral approach
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7
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Feminism
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Students to be guided in discussing the
central issues of feminism as a theory
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Interim Assessment (30%)
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8
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Institutionalism
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Students to be guided in discussing the basic
tenets of institutionalism and neo-institutionalism
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9
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Institutionalism
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Teaching Assistants to lead discussions
on Institutionalism
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10
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Constitutionalism/Rule of Law
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Students to discuss the differences (if
any)between constitutionalism and rule of law
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11
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Constitutionalism/Rule of Law
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Students to identify the factors that
promotes constitutionalism in a state
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12
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Nature of Modern Democracy
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Student to subject Abraham Lincoln’s
definition of democracy to critical scrutiny
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13
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Nature of Modern Democracy
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Is democracy the most preferred form of
government? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Teaching Assistants must
lead discussions in offering answers to these questions
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14
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STUDENT REVISION
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15-17
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EXAMINATION (70%)
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SUGGESTED
COURSE READINGS
Sabine
George, A History of Political Theory, (New York: Holt
Rinehart and Winston, 1961).
Berlin, Isaiah, Political
Ideas in the Twentieth Century, (Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2002).
Barker, Ernest, Principles
of Social and Political Theory , (Oxford: Clarendon, Press, 1951).
Raphael, D.D., Problems of
Political Philosophy, (London: Pall Mall Press, 1970).
Mead,
Margaret Sex and Temperament: In Three Primitive Societies
(New York: Harper Collins Publishers Inc, 2001).
Dunn,
John (ed.), Democracy: The Unfinished Journey, (Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1992).
Pateman, Carole The Sexual Contract (NY: Polity Press, 1988).
Paris, D. C. & James F.
Reynolds, The Logic of Political Inquiry, (New York: Longman
Inc., 1983).
Landau,
Martin, Political Theory and Political Science, (New Jersey:
Humanities Press, 1979).
Mill, J.S., Autobiography ,
(London, 1873).
Chodorow,
Nancy (1989). Feminism and Psychoanalytic Theory. (New Haven, Conn.:
Yale University Press)
Bernstein, Richard, The
Reconstruction of Social and Political Theory, (New York: Harcourt
Brace, 1977).
Bryant, C.G.A., Positivism
in Social Theory and Research, (London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd,
1985).
Heywood,
Andrew, Political Theory: An Introduction, Second Edition, (New
York: Palgrave, 1999).
Gamble, A., An Introduction
to Modern Social and Political Thought, (London: Macmillan Education
Ltd, 1981).
Gyampo, R.E.V., The State
of Political Institutions in Ghana (Saarbrucken: Lambert Academic
Publishing, 2013)
Iain, Mclean, Oxford
Concise Dictionary of Politics,(New York: Oxford University Press,
1996).
McClelland, J.S., A
History of Western Political Thought, (London: Routhledge, 2002).
Merriam, Charles, New
Aspects of Politics (Chicago: University of
Chicago).
Bellamy, Richard and Angus Ross
(eds.), A Textual Introduction to Social and Political Theory, (Manchester:
Manchester University Press, 1996).
MacKinnon,
Catharine. Feminism Unmodified: Discourses on Life and Law
(Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1987).
Koerner,
Kirk. Liberalism and its Critics. (Oxford: Taylor & Francis,
1985).
REQUIREMENTS/ GENERAL INFORMATION
·
Extensive Reading (at least 70% of the
required reading materials) is a MUST
·
There would be 13 weeks of lectures and
students must endeavor to attend all lectures. The course shall not be done by
correspondence.
·
Students must be punctual in attending all
lectures. No lateness would be tolerated
·
Students MUST attend tutorials regularly
and make MEANINGFUL contributions to class discussions.
·
An Interim Assessment would be conducted
and would constitute 30% of the final grades of students. The final exam would
account for 70% of students’ grade.
- For information on Grading Scale, students may refer to Undergraduate Handbook for details.
·
Students MUST comport themselves during
lectures. No acts of indiscipline such as ringing of mobile phones and all
other acts that could distract the attention of other students while lectures
are on-going would be tolerated
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