ATS3719 · Monash University
Modern political thought
- Credit points
- 6
- Level
- 3
- Workload
- ≈ 12 h / week
- Faculty
- Arts
What it covers
Modern political theorists grapple with significant political and social transformations such as capitalism, bureaucratisation, rationalisation and globalisation. They diagnose various 'pathologies' they fear might result from these transformations: alienation and injustice, disenchantment and authoritarianism, nihilism and social disintegration. They also identify political solutions to these maladies: revolutionary action, charismatic leadership, new forms of democracy and citizenship, or new types of social movements. In this unit you will examine and assess modern political theorists' diagnoses of and cures for modern society, focusing on how they conceptualise key political concepts such freedom, power, community and legitimacy. You will do so by examining the ideas of political theorists such as Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Foucault, Habermas and others.
Assessment
| Task | Type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| In-class participation activity | Exercise | 10% |
| Oral presentation | Presentation | 15% |
| Essay | Written | 40% |
| Essay | Written | 35% |
When and where
Not offered in 2027, or offerings not published yet.