The time we live in is truly fascinating. Political theory is what we turn to in order to make sense of and possibly even alter our times. The ideas and guidelines we employ to analyse, interpret, and assess political events are laid for us in political theory. This course attempts to construct those political ideas which explain the problems of contemporary times and address those problems.
First, it intends to make students aware of the political issues which emerge from the interaction between individual and community. Community and identity politics are two important aspects of political life. This course familiarizes students with political ideas in a community context. New forms of political communication have significantly affected societies. For example, the impact of AI on political decisions and the impact of technology in election management are something that traditional political actors like the state and individual just cannot imagine.
The course then proceeds to analyse the changing dimensions of freedom and justice in the context of a new technocratic society. Further, the issues of climate change and how it needs to be part of any theory-building exercise is something that a student of Political Science should be aware of. Traditionally justice was seen as one of the most important aspects of any political study. However, justice was always understood in the context of the state. With large-scale migration and the evolution of a global society, the traditional justice framework needs to change.
Course Content
Unit I: Individual and Community
a) Individualism and Claims of Community
b) Politics of Identity
c) Demands for Equality, Recognition and Group Rights
d) Politics of Difference
Unit II: Emerging Issues in Freedom and Justice
a) AI and Its Impact on Political Community
b) Technology and Its Impact on Election and Democratic Process
c) Digital Technologies and Their Control over Individual’s Freedom and Justice
Unit III: Global Challenges
a) Anthropomorphism and the Politics of Global Climate Change
b) Citizenship and State Boundaries
c) The Politics of Global Pandemics
Unit IV: Global Justice
a) Cosmopolitanism and Justice
b) Distributive Justice at Home and Abroad
Essential Readings
- Bhargava, R., & Acharya, A. (Eds.). (2008). Political Theory: An Introduction. New Delhi: Pearson Longman.
- Casal, P., & Williams, A. (2008). Equality. In C. McKinnon (Ed.), Issues in Political Theory (pp. 149–165). Oxford University Press.
- Jha, M. (2001). Ramabai: Gender and Caste. In M. P. Singh & H. Roy (Eds.), Indian Political Thought: Themes and Thinkers. Pearson.
- Menon, N. (2008). Gender. In R. Bhargava & A. Acharya (Eds.), Political Theory: An Introduction (pp. 224–235). New Delhi: Pearson Longman.
- Riley, J. (2008). Liberty. In C. McKinnon (Ed.), Issues in Political Theory (pp. 103–125). New York: Oxford University Press.
Source: Undergraduate (UG) Political Science Syllabus – Core XVI (Semester VII): Contemporary Political Theory.