DVC Political Science 240 - Political Theory

Course Syllabus and Outline

Spring Supplement: Online Instructions for Classes

Weighted Grade Calculator

Basic Essay Structure

How to Analyze the Logic of an Article, Essay, or Chapter

Grading Rubric for Research Essays

Setting Up APA Formatting for Research Papers, 7th Edition

Owl Purdue APA Citation Style

Grading Codes for APA Research Papers (Quickmarks)

Reviewing Your Grade and Instructor Feedback on Turnitin

How to Format the References Page in APA

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Annotated Film Bibliography

Procedure for Challenging Your Final Grade (See Page 40)

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Introduction to Political Theory: Hoffman and Graham

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Part One Lecture Outlines: Classical Ideas

(January 22) Lecture One - Introduction to Political Theory: The Problem of Power

Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the January 22, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Introduction to Political Theory: The Problem of Power
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Power and Class in the 21st Century - Urie
  • 5. Video Presentation: Noam Chomsky: Knowledge and Power (Al Jazeera)
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Introduction to Political Theory: The Problem of Power [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • The Parable of the Tribes - Schmookler
  • A Short History of Progress - Whiting
  • How To Understand Power - Liu
  • (January 29) Lecture Two - The State and Freedom

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the January 29, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] The State and Freedom
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Why Are Anarchists Against the State - An Anarchist FAQ
  • 5. Video Presentation: Why Finland And Denmark Are Happier Than The U.S.? - CBS News
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • The State and Freedom [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • How Obama Expanded the National Security State - Madar
  • Why Are Anarchists Against the State? - AFAQ
  • The Deep State Goes to War With President-Elect, Using Unverified Claims, as Democrats Cheer - Greenwald
  • The Deep State Hiding in Plain Sight - Moyers
  • (February 5) Lecture Three - Equality and Justice

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the February 5, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Equality and Justice
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: "Equality Is Far From at Hand": A Conversation With the Authors of "Queer (In)Justice" - Macare
  • 5. Video Presentation: True Justice: Bryan Stevenson's Fight for Equality
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Equality and Justice [Powerpoint Presentation]
  • Why Unions Matter - Bernard
  • What is the American Dream? - Hochschild
  • 'American Dream', Middle Class? What Middle Class? - Smith
  • (February 12) Lecture Four - Democracy, Citizenship, and Punishment

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the February 12, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Democracy, Citizenship, and Punishment
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Citizenship - Spike
  • 5. Video Presentation: The Business of Punishment: How Forced Prison Labor Has Generated Revenue Since the Colonial Era
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Democracy, Citizenship, Punishment [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • Liberal Individualism and the Crisis of Citizenship - Bellah
  • Closing the Democracy Gap - Nader
  • Schools Should Ban Corporal Punishment - and Teach Restorative Justice Instead - Reddy
  • Ancient Dreams: "I Am A Citizen Of The World" - Welton
  • Part Two Lecture Outlines: Classical Ideologies

    (February 26) Lecture Five - Liberalism

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the February 26, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Liberalism
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Fascism Comes to America - Hedges
  • 5. Video Presentation: Death of the Liberal Class? with Steve Paikin
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Liberalism [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • Liberalism's Failures in a Time of Increasing Violence, Racism, Inequality and State Terrorism - Poulin
  • Liberalism's Beleaguered Victory - Shulsky
  • The Liberal Apologies for Obama's Ugly Reign - Street
  • Heated Debate On Capitalism with America's Most Prominent Marxist Economist - Richard Wolff - Valuetainment
  • The Inadequacies of Liberalism - Martin and Pimentel
  • (March 4) Lecture Six - Conservativism

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the March 4, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Conservatism
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: The Realignment is Real - Van Maren
  • 5. Video Presentation: Thomas Sowell: Dismantling America
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Conservatism [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • The Essence of Conservatism - Kirk
  • Rationalism in Politics - Oakeshott
  • The Neoconservative Threat to World Order - Roberts
  • Have Conservatives Lost Their Compassion? - Olmstead
  • (March 11) Lecture Seven - Nationalism

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the March 11, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Nationalism
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: The Virtues of Nationalism - Salam
  • 5. Video Presentation: Nationalism vs. Globalism: The New Political Divide
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Nationalism [Powerpoint Presentation]
  • Does American Exceptionalism Foster American Decline? - Jouet
  • Still the Exceptional Nation? - Lipset
  • American Power in Terminal Decline - Lindorff
  • (March 25) Lecture Eight - Socialism

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the March 25, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Socialism
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: TRUMP'S OUT: Socialist Analysis and Next Steps for Struggle - Socialist Alternative Statement
  • 5. Video Presentation: No Gods, No Masters (Part 1 of 3)
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Socialism [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • Why Socialism? - Einstein
  • Understanding Marxism and Socialism with Richard Wolff
  • Kshama Sawant on Malala Yousefzai - Democracy Now
  • The Not-So-Small Voice of American Socialism - Hirthler
  • (April 1) Lecture Nine - Fascism

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the April 1, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Fascism
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Fascism Anyone? - Britt
  • 5. Video Presentation: No Gods, No Masters (Part 2 of 3)
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Fascism [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • How Capitalism's Structural and Ideological Crisis Gives Rise to Neo-Fascism - The Real News Network
  • The Rise of Fascism in the United States - Wood
  • Fascism: The Decay of Capitalism
  • Fascism Depends Upon a Belief in Human Inequality - Karlin
  • (April 8) Lecture Ten - Anarchism!

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the April 8, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Anarchism!
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Why Anarchism is Dangerous - Ward and Messersmith-Glavin
  • 5. Video Presentation: No Gods, No Masters (Part 3 of 3)
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Anarchism! [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • School is a Prison - And Damaging Our Kids - Gray
  • Introduction: What is Anarchism? - AFAQ
  • Why Occupy? - Martin and Pimental
  • Rebels Against Tyranny - Vodovnik
  • Part Three Lecture Outlines: Contemporary Ideologies

    (April 15) Lecture Eleven - Feminism and Ecologism

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the April 15, 2024 Class
  • 2a. Text Reading
  • 2b. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Feminism and Ecologism
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: "Market Solutions" Won't Bring Climate Justice. Eco-Feminism Is an Alternative - First-Arai
  • 5. Video Presentation: Surviving Earth: Climate Change Adaptation Population
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Feminism and Ecologism [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • Green Capitalism: The God That Failed - Smith
  • Anthropocene - Documentary
  • It's Time to Call It What It Is - A Capitalism-Induced Ecological Crisis - McCarley
  • America is Still a Patriarchy - Cohen
  • The Climate Crisis is Capitalism - Urie
  • We Need to Talk about Women: The Problem with Western Liberal 'Feminists'- Charade
  • (April 22) Lecture Twelve - Multiculturalism and Fundamentalism

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the April 22, 2024 Class
  • 2a. Text Reading
  • 2b. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Multiculturalism and Fundamentalism
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Neoliberalism: Free Market Fundamentalism or Corporate Power? - Moser
  • 5. Video Presentation: Human - Vol. 1
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Multiculturalism and Fundamentalism [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • A Left Critique of Multiculturalism - Shivani
  • Political Islam: A Marxist Analysis - Kumar
  • Part Four Lecture Outlines: Contemporary Ideas

    (April 29) Lecture Thirteen - Civil Disobedience and Political Violence

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the April 29, 2024 Class
  • 2a. Text Reading
  • 2b. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Civil Disobedience and Political Violence
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: The Trump Assassination Attempt & US Political Violence
  • 5. Video Presentation: Student Rioters: Who Were The Weather Underground
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Civil Disobedience and Political Violence [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • Who are the Proud Boys, 'Western Chauvinists' Involved in Political Violence?
  • West Virginia Legislation Would Make Civil Disobedience Against Gas Pipelines a Felony - Mokhiber
  • Intelligence Report on "Extremism" Equates Anarchists With Right-Wing Militias - Williams
  • Violence in Political History - Jackson
  • Why Violence Works - Ginsberg
  • Letter From Birmingham Jail - Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • (May 6) Lecture Fourteen - Human Rights and Difference

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the May 6, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Human Rights and Difference
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Human Rights Watch Is Not about Human Rights - Alpert
  • 5. Video Presentation: Global Gay: The Next Frontier In Human Rights
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Human Rights and Difference [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • Human Zoos in the Age of Trump - Dorfman
  • Humanitarian Imperialism: The New Doctrine of the Imperial Right - Chomsky
  • Why Race and Gender Are Separate Issues - Smith
  • (May 13) Lecture Fifteen - Global Justice

    Readings
  • 1. Instructions for the May 13, 2024 Class
  • 2. Text Reading
  • 3. [Lecture Presentation] Global Justice
  • 4. Journal Article Reading: Global Justice, Sustainability and the Sharing Economy - Share the World's Resources
  • 5. Video Presentation: Starved: Our Food Insecurity Crisis
  • 6. Discussion Board Question and Peer Responses for Video Presentation
  • Global Justice [PowerPoint Presentation]
  • How Women-Led Movements Are Redefining Power, From California to Nepal - Chitnis
  • A Declaration of Principles and Action for a New World - Center for Global Justice
  • It's Official: The Global Economy is a 'Debtor's Prison' - Dearden
  • The Problem of Global Justice - Nagel
  • Homework Questionaire - The Political Compass Website - Due: February 26, 2024

    Canvas Journal Responses - Due: Subject to Change. Check Canvas Assignments Page for Final Due Date

  • For the following lectures, please respond to the highlighted question from each lecture from the "Study and Discussion Question" section. Responses should be at least one page in length (approximately 350 words, double-spaced). Most importantly, these journal responses should not just SUMMARIZE the question, but ANALYZE and EVALUATE them!
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (The Problem of Power), Question 3 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (The State and Freedom), Question 9 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Equality and Justice), Question 3 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Democracy, Citizenship, and Punishment), Question 1 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Liberalism), Question 5 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Conservatism), Question 4 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Nationalism), Question 8 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Socialism), Question 2 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Fascism), Question 6 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Anarchism!), Question 4 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Feminism and Ecologism), Question 8 - Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Multiculturalism and Fundamentalism), Question 3 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Civil Disobedience and Political Violence), Question 9 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Human Rights and Difference), Question 1 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Lecture / Discussion Page (Global Justice), Question 6 - Due: Posted on Canvas
  • Government in the Future - POLSC 240 Spring 2024 Research Project - Due: April 15, 2024

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    Click Here to Read "Government In The Future" by Noam Chomsky

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    Click Here to Listen to "Government In The Future" by Noam Chomsky

    Recent Books for the Spring Research Paper:

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    Books / Articles / Reports / Documents / Websites (State Capitalism)
  • State Capitalism - Wikipedia
  • The Myth of "Libertarian Socialism" - Niemietz
  • Deconstructing State Capitalism - D'Amato
  • The Rise of State Capitalism - The Economist
  • The Political Economy of Chinese State Capitalism - Xing and Shaw
  • State Capitalism 2.0 Is Here, and It's Not Going Away Anytime Soon - The Conversation
  • State Capitalism Comes of Age: The End of the Free Market? - Bremmer
  • The Rise of State-Controlled Capitalism - NPR
  • State Capitalism vs. the Free Market: Which Performs Better - Schuman
  • Books / Articles / Reports / Documents / Websites (State Socialism)
  • State Socialism - Wikipedia
  • Wandering in the Void: The Dead End of National Bolshevism - Greene
  • Socialism Past and Future - Forbath
  • The Enduring Relevance of State Socialism - Saed
  • S Is For State Capitalism - Haynes
  • The Little Red Book - Mao Tse tung
  • Fidel Castro History Archive - Marxists.org
  • Lenin Selected Works - Lenin Works Index
  • Books / Articles / Reports / Documents / Websites (Libertarian Socialism)
  • Libertarian Socialism - Wikipedia
  • 10 Things You Should Know About Socialism - Wolff
  • What Is Libertarian Socialism? - Diemer
  • Libertarian Socialism - Jacobs
  • Libertarian Socialism: The Politics of Black and Red - Prichard
  • Why Do Anarchists Oppose State Socialism? - Anarchist FAQ
  • If You Don't Like Capitalism or State Socialism, What Do You Want? - Alperovitz
  • The Theory of State Capitalism - Hadden
  • Books / Articles / Reports / Documents / Websites (Libertarian "Anarcho" Capitalism)
  • Anarcho-Capitalism - Wikipedia
  • On Libertarian Socialism - D'Amato
  • State Capitalism Versus Free Markets - Bandow
  • The Morality of Capitalism: What Your Professors Won't Tell You - Palmer
  • Capitalism: The Libertarian Vision - Brandon
  • Libertarianism vs. Radical Capitalism - Biddle
  • Research Projects and Examinations:

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    Readings, Documentaries, and Websites of Interest for Political Science 240 Students!

    World's First Trillionaire Just 10 Years Away as Richest Men Double Their Wealth - Johnson

    How to Unf*ck America - Dean Baker and The Institute for New Economic Thinking

    American Exception: Hegemony and the Dissimulation of the State - Good

    The CIA, NATO and the US Empire with Aaron Good - Mint Press News

    The War on Journalism: The Case of Julian Assange

    A Message From the Future II: "Years of Repair"

    The World in Economic Depression: A Marxist Analysis of Crisis - Tricontinental

    Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens - Gilens and Page

    Measuring Rates of Return for Lobbying Expenditures: An Empirical Analysis Under the American Jobs Creation Act - Alexander, Scholz, and Mazza

    The Crisis of Democracy - The Trilateral Commission (1973)

    The Powell Memo (also known as the Powell Manifesto) - Reclaim Democracy!

    A Century of War - RT Documentary

    The Collapse of the American Empire? - The Agenda with Steve Paikin

    Corruption is Legal in America - Represent.Us

    Unbreaking America: A NEW Short Film about Solving the Corruption Crisis - Represent.Us

    The Lie We Live [Smart Kid - A Nice Wake-Up Call] - Spencer Cathcart

    Understanding Marxism and Socialism with Richard Wolff

    War Is A Racket - Major General Smedley Butler

    Four Horsemen - Documentary (Great Stuff! Check This Out!)

    Empire Files: Peter Joseph & Abby Martin on Abolishing Capitalism

    Destroying the Myths of Market Fundamentalism - The Real News Network

    Tipping Point: The End of Oil - Documentary

    The Propaganda Multiplier:How Global News Agencies and Western Media Report on Geopolitics - Swiss Propaganda Research

    Capitalism Never Solves Its Crises; It Moves Them Around Geographically - RSAnimate

    Two American Families - Frontline Documentary

    Global Wealth Inequality: What You Never Knew You Never Knew - therules.org

    Wealth Inequality in America - therules.org

    Billionaire Bonanza: The Forbes 400 and the Rest of Us - Institute for Policy Studies

    Park Ave: Wealth, Poverty, and the American Dream - Documentary

    Shadows of Liberty - Documentary (Mass Media)

    Plutocracy in America - Brenner

    The Progressive Movement is a PR Front for Rich Democrats - Stauber

    Consent Without Consent: Reflections on the Theory and Practice of Democracy - Chomsky

    Obamacare: A Deception - Roberts

    The Purchase of Our Republic - Falkson

    The Crisis of Civilization - Documentary

    Let Your Life Be A Friction That Stops The Machine - Class War Films

    Political Fraud - Class War Films

    Financial Crime - Class War Films

    Military Cancer - Class War Films

    Imperial Decay - Class War Films

    Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis - Documentary

    What Democracy? The Case for Abolishing the United States Senate - Rosenfeld

    Making Every Vote Count: The Case for Proportional Representation - Amy

    Ignoble Liars: Leo Strauss, George Bush, and the Philosophy of Mass Deception - Shorris

    Barack Hoover Obama: The Best and the Brightest Blow It Again - Baker

    The Great American Bubble Machine - Taibbi

    Why Isn't Wall Street in Jail? - Taibbi

    Empire Under Obama: Counterinsurgency, Death Squads, and the Population as the Target - Marshall

    Smash the Control Machine - Otep Rocks!

    Rise Rebel Resist - Otep Rocks!

    The World is Coming to an End - Prince Ea

    The Final Word from My Two Favorite Comedians of All Time on "The Big Question"