Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

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PSCI1158A-W18

On Tyranny

On Tyranny
In this course we will study tyranny, which has been called “a danger coeval with political life” (Leo Strauss). To understand that statement and how technology and ideology have changed tyranny, we will read classic works from political philosophy and literature (Plato’s Apology of Socrates, Republic VIII-IX and Charmides; Xenophon’s Hiero, or On Tyranny; Machiavelli’s Prince; and Shakespeare’s Macbeth) and modern works (Carl Schmitt, The Concept of the Political; Leo Strauss on Xenophon, followed by Alexander Kojeve’s Commentary and Strauss’s Restatement; Heidegger, “Question Concerning Technology”; Hannah Arendt’s Origins of Totalitarianism, vol. 3; and writing by one tyrant).
Course Reference Number (CRN):
11419
Subject Code:
PSCI
Course Number:
1158
Section Identifier:
A

Course

PSCI 1158

All Sections in Winter 2018

Winter 2018

PSCI1158A-W18 Lecture (Dry)