1

APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF POLITICS PO 620, Fall 2005 Professor Bradley Macdonald Office: C335 Clark Office Hours: MWF 2-3, or by appointment Preliminary Remarks: As students of politics we approach our subject with particular assumptions about the political world around us, with certain customs and practices about how best to analyze politics, as well as with values and commitments that are constitutive of our selves as socially embedded beings. While we might hope that these areas of concern are actually separateindeed, our dominant approach toward the explanation and understanding of politics actually assumes this to be the casethey are oftentimes not so easily distinguishable within our analytic practices. This course will explore the issues and dilemmas related to understanding political phenomena by looking at the historical development of our discipline, the main theoretical issues (both epistemological and methodological) that have arisen, and still arise, in this enterprise, as well as the variety of approaches toward politics that have been proposed over the last century. As we know (or should know), the study of politics goes back as far as the Greeks. Yet, it has been within the last century that our discipline has begun to take shape, particularly in terms of seeing itself as part of the overall movement toward scientifically apprehending the basic structures of the human world. We will explore the theoretical issues underlying this methodological consolidation as well as the criticisms and approaches that have developed in reaction to this discursive construction (e.g., phenomenology, hermeneutics, critical theory, feminism, and postmodern approaches). In all of this, we will hopefully not only come to a better understanding of the issues and dilemmas facing us in our practices as political analysts, but also understand how such issues are not just sterile philosophical debates but also intimately involved in how we conceive of the possibilities of our political world. Required Texts: I. (Lory Student Center Bookstore) Sandra Harding, The Science Question in Feminism (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1986); ISBN # 0-8014-9363-3. Martin Hollis, The Philosophy of Social Science: An Introduction (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994); ISBN # 0-521-44780-1. D. Howarth, A. Norval, et. Al. Discourse Theory and Political Analysis (Manchester: University of Manchester Press, 2002); ISBN # 0719056640. Jean-Francois Lyotard, The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1984); ISBN # 0-8166-1173-4. David Ricci, The Tragedy of Political Science: Politics, Scholarship, and Democracy (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984); ISBN # 0-300-03760-0. II. (Department of Political Science mail room) Reader (R). Brian Fay, Critical Social Science (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1987); ISBN # 08014-9458-3.

Requirements and Grading: 1) One 15 page analytic/critical essay on Holliss text, due Sept. 27 at the beginning of class. The purpose of this paper will be to see how you can critically evaluate the general parameters of the philosophy of social science, as well as respond to Holliss argument concerning this discourse. It is a good preparatory task for the rest of the class. Worth 35 % of your grade. 2) One 20 page paper due Weds., December 15 that will ask the student to take one of the approaches that we discuss in class and critically interrogate it. Depending upon the students proclivities, this analysis can be theoretical, comparative or related to how well it fairs in terms of an issue area that the student finds interesting. Beginning week 10, I want to have a half hour appointment with each of you so that we can discuss your final paper topic. Worth 40 % of your grade. 3) Participation. Worth 25% of grade. Not only will students be required to attend classes and engage in discussions, but they will be responsible for two other tasks: a) the introduction of at least one set of the readings (articles) to the class for critical discussion of 10-15 minute duration. These presentations will entail a brief summary of the main points of the reading, its relation to previous readings and ideas discussed in class, and the proffering of questions for discussion. (Note: this should be taken seriously, given that ones presentation bears substantially on ones participation grade. If you find the reading to be difficult, come in and see me. To argue that it is too difficult to present is not a good reasonthere is plenty you can do in that situation). b) the keeping up with all readings, irrespective of whether you are presenting on them or not. It is incumbent on you to read all of the readings so as to become part of the dialogue that constitutes a successful seminar. With this said, I will call on you at various times to lead discussion/or answer questions. Course Outline: Week 1: August 22 Introduction: The Dilemmas and Issues of Studying Politics Week 2: August 29 Overview of the Philosophy of Social Sciences readings: Hollis, The Philosophy of Social Science (Introduction, Chs. 1-6). Week 3: Sept. 5 Overview (cont.) readings: Hollis, The Philosophy of Social Science (Chs. 7-12).

Week 4: Sept. 12 Disciplining Politics, I: Developments and Classic Beginnings readings: Ricci, The Tragedy of Political Science (Chs. 1-4). Popper, Science: Conjectures and Refutations in R. Week 5: Sept. 19 Disciplining Politics, II: The Behavioralist Persuasion readings: Ricci, The Tragedy of Political Science (Ch. 5). Dahl, The Behavioralist Approach in Political Science in R. Easton, The Current Meaning of Behavioralism in R. Susser, The Behavioral Ideology in R. Week 6: Sept. 26 Disciplinary Reconsiderations: Weber and Kuhn readings: Ricci, The Tragedy of Political Science (Chs. 6-7). Weber, Objectivity in Social Science and Social Policy in R. Kuhn, The Nature and Necessity of Scientific Revolutions in R. **critical essay due** Week 7: Oct. 3 Rethinking the Study of Politics, I: Phenomenology and Hermeneutics readings: Jung, The Political Relevance of Existential Phenomenology in R. Palmer, Six Modern Definitions of Hermeneutics in R. Taylor, Interpretation and the Sciences of Man in R. Week 8: Oct. 10 Rethinking the Study of Politics, II: Critical Theory and the Politics of Liberation. readings: Horkheimer, Traditional and Critical Theory in R. Marcuse, selections from One-Dimensional Man in R. Habermas, Knowledge and Human Interests in R. Week 9: Oct. 17 Rethinking the Study of Politics, II (cont.) readings: Fay, Critical Social Science (all).

Week 10: Oct. 24 Science and Feminism readings: Harding, The Science Question in Feminism (Chs. 1-5). Week 11: Oct. 31 Science and Feminism (cont.) readings: Harding, The Science Question in Feminism (Chs. 6-10). Week 12: Nov. 7 The Postmodern Challenge, I: General Contours and Rortys Antifoundationalism

readings: Rorty, Relativism: Finding and Making in R. Rorty, Truth without Correspondence to Reality in R. Rorty, A World without Substances or Essences in R. Week 13: Nov. 14 The Postmodern Challenge, II: Towards a Postmodern Theory of Knowledge? readings: Lyotard, The Postmodern Condition (all). Nov. 21 No classes (Thanksgiving Break). Week 14: Nov. 28 The Postmodern Challenge, III: Discourse Theory readings: Howarth, Neval, et. Al., Discourse Theory and Political Analysis (to be assigned). Week 15: Dec. 5 The Postmodern Challenge, III (cont.) readings: Howarth, Neval, et. Al., Discourse Theory and Political Analysis (to be assigned).

**final paper due Dec. 14**