CoursesDemocratic Theory (NEW)
PSCI 4992, Section 301

Democratic Theory (NEW)

In the Social Contract, Jean-Jacques Rousseau said of democracy, “A government so perfect is not suited to men.” Although democracy is often invoked as the ground of political legitimacy, there is little agreement about what democracy is, how it should be implemented in institutions and law, and why citizens should desire it. Tracking both its historical development and contemporary debates, this class asks after these questions about democracy by way of four concepts—democracy, the people, justice, and participation.
Instructor(s)
  • Ani Chen
Semester

Spring 2026

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TR 10:15am-11:44am

Unit I begins in classical Athens. We will read the works of two of democracy’s strongest critics, Plato and Aristotle, to ascertain what democracy was and what they took it to be. Understanding democracy as the rule (kratos) of the people (demos), we will then turn in Unit II to asking after who the “people” are by way of the Social Contract tradition. Unit II introduces questions about equality and inclusion, which will inform our reading in Unit III on contemporary debates surrounding questions of justice in the works of Judith Shklar, Iris Marion Young, and Danielle Allen. Finally, we will end our class in Unit IV on participation. Bringing our reading into conversation with contemporary dilemmas around political participation, we will end by considering the role of elections, social movements, and protest in democratic practice. This course is an undergraduate seminar. Students can expect 75-150 pages of reading per week.

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