GOVT 392 Topics in Political Theory: Athenian Democracy Spring Course Overview

Transcription

1 Instructor: Professor Lombardini Phone: Office Hours: MW 10-11am, Morton 26 Section 3: TR 12:30-1:50pm, Morton 40 Section 4: TR 3:30-4:50pm, Morton 40 GOVT 392 Topics in Political Theory: Athenian Democracy Spring 2011 Course Overview The goal of this course is to familiarize students with the main tenets of ancient Greek political thought through an exploration Athenian democracy in its historical and theoretical contexts. Rather than focusing on the philosophical theories of Plato and Aristotle, this course is designed as an investigation into the principles that gave rise to, and contributed to the flourishing of, Athenian democracy in the 5 th and 4 th centuries BCE. As a means towards this end, our investigation will be organized thematically and historically, focusing on key issues and problems in the development and practice of Athenian democracy through readings of Greek poetry, history, oratory, and philosophy. We will begin by discussing the nature of Greek political thought before the rise of Athenian democracy, focusing on the Archaic poetry of Homer and Hesiod as well as Solon s political reforms and the historical development of Greek political regimes. Next, we will turn to an examination of the historical origins, principles, institutions, and practices of Athenian democracy through readings of key historical sources, including Herodotus, Thucydides, Democritus, Aristophanes, Euripides, and Demosthenes. In the final section of the course, we will consider the political and philosophical critiques of democracy advanced by the Old Oligarch, Plato, Isocrates, and Aristotle within their historical and theoretical contexts. We will conclude the class by discussing the legacy of Athenian democracy for contemporary political thought. While this course is historically focused, our goal will be to understand the value of democracy as an enduring site of contestation, how democracy has been justified and criticized through the ages, and how such an investigation can illuminate our own discourse about democracy in the 21 st century. This course is designed to complement GOVT 303 (Survey of Political Theory: The Ancient Tradition), which focuses on the political thought of Plato and Aristotle. At the same time, the course is designed to be accessible to those who have not taken GOVT 303 and/or have no prior experience with political theory. This course fulfills the College s GER 7 requirement, as well as the Government Department s Political Theory Requirement. Overview of Assignments There will be one midterm report, one essay (of 8-10 pages), and a final examination. Students are also required to keep a journal of responses to the readings for each class. Details of these assignments can be found in the Assignments section at the end of this syllabus. Books for Purchase Students are expected to purchase the following books: 1

2 Aeschylus, The Oresteia (Penguin) Aristophanes, The Birds and Other Plays (Penguin) Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution (Penguin) Gagarin and Woodruff, (eds.), Early Greek Political Thought from Homer to the Sophists (Cambridge) M.H. Hansen, The Athenian Democracy in the Age of Demosthenes (Oklahoma) Plato, Gorgias (Hackett) Wolpert and Kapparis, (eds.), Legal Speeches of Democratic Athens (Hackett) Important Dates Thurs, Jan 20: First Day of Class Thurs, Mar 3: Midterm Report Due in Class Thurs, Apr 14: Essay Due in Class Thurs, May 5: Final Examination, 9:00am-12:00pm, Section 3 (TR 12:30-1:50pm) Tues, May 10: Final Examination, 12:00pm-3:00om, Section 4 (TR 3:30-4:50pm) Academic Integrity Course Policies Students are expected to adhere to the Honor System of the College of William & Mary in all aspects of this course. The complete statement of the Honor System can be found at: Attendance The following is the College s attendance policy, which can be found on page 42 of the Undergraduate Course Catalog: An education system centered upon classroom instruction is obviously predicated on the concept of regular class attendance. In support of this concept, the following principles are to be observed: 1. Except for reasonable cause, students are expected to be present at all regularly scheduled class meetings, including their last scheduled class in each of their courses preceding and their first scheduled class in each of their courses following the fall break, Thanksgiving, semester break, and spring holidays. 2. Students whose attendance becomes unsatisfactory to the extent that their course performance is affected adversely should be so informed by their instructor and reported to the Dean of Students. 3. Each student is responsible for notifying professors of absences, and faculty may call the Office of the Dean of Students to ask for verification of student illness. In view of the Honor Code, a student s explanation of class absence should be sufficient in most instances. If required by a professor, documentation of medical absence may be obtained from the Student Health Center. 4. Students who will miss classes due to personal difficulties or family emergencies should contact the Dean of Students Office as soon as possible. In addition, students who miss class repeatedly can expect to have their participation grade lowered. I check my regularly throughout the semester, and will be happy to answer any questions that you have via . You can expect that I will respond to your s within 24 hours. 2

3 Essay Format Writing assignments must be word-processed. Please follow the guidelines listed below: Use only Times New Roman 12. Set all your margins at 1 and don t justify your right-hand margin. Use your word-processing program s automatic pagination function to number your pages. Proofread your writing for typographical, grammatical, and punctuation errors. If you consistently make these kinds of errors, your grade will drop. Double-space your papers. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in a lower grade. Extensions and Late Papers All deadlines in this class are firm. Except in the case of medical or family emergency or religious observance, I give no individual extensions. If, due to such an emergency, you cannot meet a deadline, please contact me as soon as possible so that we may work out an alternative schedule of due dates and times. In the event of a medical emergency, you must produce a note from the University Health Service. In the event of a family emergency, please ask a Dean or your Academic Advisor to contact me by or telephone. All late papers that are not late for any of these reasons, or are not accompanied by the required documentation listed above, will be marked down 1/3 of a letter grade for each day they are late. Final Grades The grade breakdown is as follows: 25% Mid-Term Report 30% Essay 30% Final Examination 10% Attendance and Participation 5% Journal Responses Grading Standards for Essay Assignments When grading your essay assignments, I evaluate the words on the page before me and don t factor in improvement or effort or use other mushy criteria. The effort you put into an assignment will most certainly be evident in the paper you produce. Below are the standards to which papers will be held in this class. Pluses and minuses represent shades of difference. A paper in the A-range displays exceptional grace and demonstrates a high degree of mastery over the fundamentals of academic writing: it establishes and advances a clear thesis; employs a logical and progressive structure; analyzes evidence insightfully and in depth; draws from wellchosen sources; and is written in a clear, sophisticated style. A B-range paper resembles an A-range paper in some ways, but may exhibit a vague or inconsistently argued thesis; employ a generally logical but somewhat disorganized or undeveloped structure; include well-chosen but sometimes unanalyzed and undigested evidence; 3

4 use sources in a correct but limited fashion; or be written in an unsophisticated or grammatically problematic style. A C-range paper resembles a B-range paper in some ways, but may also feature a confusing, simple, or descriptive thesis; lack a coherent structure; fail to present enough evidence, or present evidence that is insufficiently analyzed; drop in sources without properly contextualizing or citing them; and be written in a generally unclear, simplistic, or technically flawed style. A D paper (there is no D+ or D- at Columbia) resembles a C-range paper but may include a purely descriptive or obvious thesis; display an unfocused, confusing, or rambling structure; and draw on little analyzed evidence and sources. A D paper has trouble engaging with the assignment and may not show awareness of the conventions of academic discourse and style. It does, however, show signs of attempting to engage with the issues, topics, and sources of the assignment. An F paper is similar to a D paper but is significantly shorter than the assigned length and addresses the assignment superficially. A 0 paper is less than half the assigned length and does not fulfill the basic expectations of the assignment. Laptop Use While laptops can be useful note-taking devices, they are also the cause of many distractions in the classroom. Though I would prefer that students refrain from using their laptops in class, laptop use is permitted under the condition that all network connections are shut down. If you connect to the internet wirelessly, this means that you must turn your wireless adapter off. In addition, only windows that are directly relevant to the class (such as word documents for note-taking) should be open on your desktop. Office Hours My office hours will be held MW, 10-11am in Morton 26. If you would like to meet with me, but have a conflict with this time, please let me know either after class or via , and I would be more than happy to work out an alternate time to meet. It is also required that students attend office hours at least once during the semester. 4

5 I. Introduction Course Schedule (Readings marked with an asterisk* are posted on Blackboard) Thurs, Jan 20 Lecture: Introduction to Course; Overview of Assignments; Why Study Athenian Democracy? Tues, Jan 25 Lecture: Introduction to the Polis; The Origins of Political Thought in Ancient Greece Required Hesiod, selections in Early Greek Political Thought from Homer to the Sophists (hereafter EGPT) Homer, selections from Iliad* Recommended Kurt Raaflaub, Homer and the Beginning of Political Thought in Greece * Ian Morris, The Strong Principle of Equality and the Archaic Origins of Greek Democracy * M.H. Hansen, Polis: An Introduction to the Ancient Greek City-State Discussion Question: Compare Homer s portrayal of Zeus leadership to that of Agamemnon. II. Solon & Lycurgus Thurs, Jan 27 Lecture: History of Archaic Athens; Biography of Solon; Solon s Poetry; Solon s Reforms Solon, selections in EGPT Plutarch, Life of Solon* Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 1-12 (hereafter CA) Discussion Question: What does Solon identify as the cause of civil strife in Athens and how does he think his reforms will eliminate the problem? Tues, Feb 1 Lecture: Principles of Solon s Reforms; Eunomia and Dusnomia; Justice; Lycurgus Reforms and the Spartan Constitution; Reforms Elsewhere in Greece Plutarch, Life of Lycurgus* Tyrtaeus, selections in EGPT Gregory Vlastos, Solonian Justice * Recommended Reading: Robert W. Wallace, Revolutions and a New Order in Solonian Athens and Archaic Greece * Discussion Question: Compare Lycurgus reforms in Sparta to those of Solon in Athens. III. Cleisthenes, Ephialtes, and the Origins of Athenian Democracy Thurs, Feb 3 Lecture: Peisistratid Tyranny; The Tyrannicides; Cleisthenes and the Athenian Revolution Aristotle, CA

6 Herodotus, Histories V.62-78*; Story of Deioces (pp in EGPT) Josiah Ober, I Besieged that Man : Democracy s Revolutionary Start * Recommended Reading: Timur Kuran: Now Out of Never * Discussion Question: Given your reading of Herodotus, do you agree with Ober that the Athenian Revolution was leaderless? Tues, Feb 8 Lecture: Isonomia; Cleisthenes Reforms; New Tribal Organization; Council of 500 Harmodius and Aristogeiton Song* Herodotus, Constitutional Debate (pp in EGPT) Josiah Ober, Democracy and Knowledge (selections)* Vidal-Naquet and Leveque, Cleisthenes the Athenian (selections)* Discussion Question: On what grounds does Otanes (in Herodotus Constitutional Debate ) prefer democracy over oligarchy and monarchy? Thurs, Feb 10 Lecture: Areopagus Council; Ephialtes Reforms; When Did Athenian Democracy Begin? Aristotle, CA M.H. Hansen, Athenian Democracy, ch. 12 Kurt Raaflaub, The Breakthrough of Dēmokratia in Mid-Fifth-Century Athens * Recommended Reading: J. Ober, The Original Meaning of Democracy * Discussion Question: Was Athens a democracy before Ephialtes reforms? If so, why? If not, why not? IV. Principles, Institutions, and Evolution of Athenian Democracy Tues, Feb 15 Lecture: Assembly; Magistrates; Ostracism Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians M.H. Hansen, Athenian Democracy, chs. 6 & 9 Recommended Reading: S. Forsdyke, Exile, Ostracism, and Democracy Discussion Question: Describe the operation of the Athenian Assembly. Thurs, Feb 17 Lecture: Courts; Jury-Selection Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians M.H. Hansen, Athenian Democracy, ch. 8 Lysias, On the Murder of Eratosthenes* Discussion Question: What was the function of the court-system within Athenian democracy? Tues, Feb 22 Lecture: Persian Wars; Context of Aeschylus Persians; Freedom Aeschylus, Persians* 6

7 Aristotle, Politics 1317a40-b16* M.H. Hansen, The Ancient Athenian and the Modern Liberal View of Liberty as a Democratic Ideal * Recommended: Kurt Raaflaub, The Discovery of Freedom in Ancient Greece Discussion Question: Choose a passage from Persians and offer a close analysis of its political ideology. Thurs, Feb 24 Lecture: Equality; Frank Speech (parrēsia) v. Free Speech; Isēgoria; Oligarchic Revolutions; Restoration of Athenian Democracy; Law and Democracy Euripides, selections from The Suppliant Maidens and Phoenician Women in EGPT Martin Ostwald, Shares and Rights: Citizenship Greek Style and American Style * Paul Cartledge, Comparatively Equal * Recommended Reading: Kurt Raaflaub, Equalities and Inequalities in Athenian Democracy * Discussion Question: Do you agree with Ostwald s argument that modern democracies emphasize rights while Athenian democracy emphasized citizen shares? V. Democratic Leadership Tues, Mar 1 Lecture: The Peloponnesian War; Pericles; Public v. Private; Citizenship Thucydides (in EGPT, pp ) Plutarch, Life of Pericles* Aristotle, CA Recommended S. Sara Monoson, Citizen as Erastēs * Discussion Question: What makes democracy such a praiseworthy form of government for Pericles? Thurs, Mar 3 Lecture: Politicians and Oratory; Demosthenes; Hubris; Participatory Democracy Demosthenes, Against Meidias (selections) Recommended Josiah Ober, Power and Oratory in Democratic Athens * P.J. Rhodes, Who Ran Democratic Athens? * Discussion Question: Why, for Demosthenes, is Meidias crime not only an insult to him, but a threat to the entire democracy? ***Spring Break*** VI. Athenian Imperialism Tues, Mar 15 Lecture: Origins of Athens Empire; Empire and Democracy; The Ideology of Empire in 5 th century Athens 7

8 Aristophanes, Birds Thucydides (in EGPT, pp ; ) Recommended Barry Strauss, The Athenian Trireme, School of Democracy * Kurt Raaflaub, Democracy, Power, and Imperialism in Fifth-Century Democracy * Kurt Raaflaub, Learning From the Enemy: Athenian and Persian Instruments of Empire * Discussion Question: Compare Thucydides analysis of Athenian imperialism to that of Aristophanes in Birds. VII. Tragedy and Athenian Democracy Thurs, Mar 17 Lecture: Political Background of the Oresteia; Agamemnon; Eumenides Reading: Aeschylus, The Oresteia Discussion Question: Is there a political message in the court scene in the Eumenides? If so, what is it? (It might be helpful here to think back to Ephialtes reforms.) Tues, Mar 22 Lecture: Overview of the Institution of the Theater; Debate about Democratic Nature of Greek Drama Simon Goldhill, Civic Ideology and the Problem of Difference: The Politics of Aeschylean Tragedy, Once again * P.J. Rhodes, Nothing to Do with Democracy: Athenian Drama and the Polis * Discussion Question: Was Greek Drama democratic? In other words, do you agree with Goldhill or Rhodes? Why? VIII. Women, Metics, and Slaves Thurs, Mar 24 Lecture: Aristophanes on Women; Analysis of Assemblywomen Aristophanes, Assemblywomen Recommended Reading: Sue Blundell, Women in Ancient Greece (selections)* Froma Zeitlin, The Performance of Utopia in Aristophanes Assemblywomen * Plato, Republic 5* Discussion Question: How does Aristophanes Assemblywomen poke fun at some of the core principles of Athenian democracy? Is it a critique of the subordination of women in Athenian society, or an attempt to use humor to question their traditional place in Athenian society? IX. Theorizing Democracy Tues, Mar 29 Lecture: Introduction to the Sophists Protagoras, selections in EGPT Democritus, selections in EGPT 8

9 Recommended Cynthia Farrar, Protagoras: Measuring Man * J.F. Procopé, Democritus on Politics and the Care of the Soul * Discussion Question: What are the two key qualities that Zeus distributes to human beings in Protagoras Great Myth and how do they contribute to the flourishing of human society? X. Criticizing Democracy Thurs, Mar 31 Lecture: Dissent from Within Aristophanes, Knights Discussion Question: Discuss the political allegory that frames the plot of Knights. Tues, Apr 5 Lecture: Plato s Epic Critique Plato, Gorgias (pp. 1-50) Discussion Question: How does Plato s Gorgias incorporate elements of Aristophanes critique of rhetoric and Athenian democracy in Knights? Thurs, Apr 7 Lecture: Democracy and Disorder; Greed and Democracy Plato, Gorgias (pp ) Plato, Republic VIII* Discussion Question: Compare Callicles opening speech to Jocasta s speech in the Phoenician Women. Tues, Apr 12 Lecture: Two Types of Equality Aristotle, Politics VI; Nicomachean Ethics V* Ps.-Xenophon, Constitution of the Athenians (in EGPT) Discussion Question: Compare Aristotle s critique of democracy to that of Plato. Thurs, Apr 14 Lecture: Isocrates Conservative Political Program Isocrates Areopagiticus ; Panathenaicus* Recommended Josiah Ober, Eloquence, Leadership, and Memory * M.H. Hansen, Solonian Democracy in Fourth-Century Athens * Discussion Question: Discuss the relationship between Isocrates political program and Solon s reforms. XI. Legacies of Athenian Democracy Tues, Apr 19 Lecture: Sparta or Athens?; The Dangers of Antiquity 9

10 Rousseau, The Social Contract (selections)* Constant, The Liberty of the Ancients Compared with that of the Moderns * Jennifer Tolbert Roberts, Athens on Trial (selections)* Thurs, Apr 21 Lecture: Republic or Democracy? Greeks in America The Federalist Papers (selections)* Richard, The Golden Age of Classics in America (selections)* Tues, Apr 26 Lecture: The Primacy of Politics Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition (selections)* Thurs, Apr 28 Lecture: Athenian Democracy Today Josiah Ober, Democracy and Knowledge (selections)* Sheldon Wolin, Transgression, Equality, Voice * 10

11 Assignments Journal Responses Students are required to keep a journal of their responses to the reading assignments for each class. These journal responses will be collected randomly, 10 times during the course of the semester at the beginning of class. They will be graded on a Pass/Fail basis, and collectively will constitute 5% of your final grade. In the Course Schedule section of the syllabus, there is a Discussion Question listed for each class section (with the exception of the first class and the last 4 classes). Your journal entries should respond to these questions. For the final four classes, you may respond to anything you choose from the readings. Journal responses must be one, single-spaced page in length, and written in 12-pt. Times New Roman font. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in loss of credit for the assignment. The goal of these responses is to encourage students to keep up with, and come to class ready to discuss, the readings for the course. Midterm Reports For the midterm assignment, students will be requirement to write a short report on a particular institution or institutional practice of Athenian democracy. The reports should be 4-5 pages in length, and follow the general formatting guidelines listed in the Essay Format section of the syllabus (pg. 3). Content: The report should answer the following set of questions: 1. When did the institution originate? 2. How did the institution function? 3. Did the functioning of the institution change over time? In what way? 3. What is the demographic information for those participating in the institution? 4. What was the relationship between the institution and the overall functioning of the democracy? 5. What principle, if any, is implicit in the functioning of this institution? List of Suggested Institutions: Assembly Jury-Courts Council of Areopagus Council of 500 A particular magistracy (like the Archon Basileus) Nomothetai Euthynai Dokimasia Eisangelia Your report should include between 3 and 5 secondary sources other than those used in class. Hansen s Athenian Democracy should serve as an invaluable starting point for any topic you choose. Essay 11

12 There will be one analytic essay (8-10 pages in length). The essay questions will be distributed 2 weeks in advance of the essay s due date along with general guidelines and expectations. Final Examination The final examination will be a 3-hour long blue book examination, which will take place during the examination period designated by the College. It will contain 3 components: 1) Short Identification Questions (1-2 sentences); 2) Short Answer Questions (short paragraph); 3) Essay Question. The essay question will be distributed one week in advance of the exam. 12