Teacher(s)
Language
French
Prerequisites
The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unit茅 d鈥檈nseignement 鈥� UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
| The course aims to give an overview of the major political doctrines, from their origins in antiquity to the ideologies of the 20th century. Based on the reading of classical and contemporary authors and textbooks, but also using other media - press articles, film extracts and others - the perspective adopted brings conceptual history into dialogue with political and social history. The course and seminar aim to show that it is possible to better understand the contemporary world - its problems, challenges and possibilities - using the tools of philosophy and political thought. On the pedagogical level, the course aims, through lectures, readings, discussions and seminar presentations, to encourage students to improve their note-taking, to supplement their notes with articles and extracts from reference works, to develop their spirit of synthesis and the linking of knowledge, and to deepen their understanding of certain questions related to their readings, guest lectures and current debates. | |
Content
The lectures cover the following themes and authors:
Part 1: At the origins of contemporary political doctrines
1. Antiquity
2. The confrontation between the Ancient and the Modern
3. The links between religious and political doctrines
Part 2: Political doctrines from Machiavelli to Marx
4. Modern theories of the state and sovereignty
Machiavelli, Bodin, Hobbes: absolute sovereignty
Rousseau: popular sovereignty
Locke: liberalism and limits to the power of the state
5. Reactionary and conservative thinking
6. Marx: understanding the world to change it
Part 3: Ideologies of the 20th century
7. Socialism(s) and communism
8. Fascism(s) and National Socialism
The reading seminar, after an introductory session and presentation of the expected results, goes into more detail on the following themes (based on the reading and presentation by students of texts from authors, whether or not they were studied in the framework of the lecture and cited here for information purposes):
Session 1: Ancient and Modern (Benjamin Constant)
Session 2: The State (Thomas Hobbes, Elsa Dorlin)
Session 3: Feminist criticisms (Olympe de Gouges et Fran莽oise Verg猫s)
Session 4: Social criticisms (Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg)
Session 5: (De-)Colonialism, racism and totalitarianism (Aim茅 C茅saire, Michel Foucault, HAnnah Arendt)
Session 6: Democracy? (Jo毛lle Zask)
Session 7: What ecological political doctrines for the future? (Baptiste Morizot)
Part 1: At the origins of contemporary political doctrines
1. Antiquity
2. The confrontation between the Ancient and the Modern
3. The links between religious and political doctrines
Part 2: Political doctrines from Machiavelli to Marx
4. Modern theories of the state and sovereignty
Machiavelli, Bodin, Hobbes: absolute sovereignty
Rousseau: popular sovereignty
Locke: liberalism and limits to the power of the state
5. Reactionary and conservative thinking
6. Marx: understanding the world to change it
Part 3: Ideologies of the 20th century
7. Socialism(s) and communism
8. Fascism(s) and National Socialism
The reading seminar, after an introductory session and presentation of the expected results, goes into more detail on the following themes (based on the reading and presentation by students of texts from authors, whether or not they were studied in the framework of the lecture and cited here for information purposes):
Session 1: Ancient and Modern (Benjamin Constant)
Session 2: The State (Thomas Hobbes, Elsa Dorlin)
Session 3: Feminist criticisms (Olympe de Gouges et Fran莽oise Verg猫s)
Session 4: Social criticisms (Karl Marx, Rosa Luxemburg)
Session 5: (De-)Colonialism, racism and totalitarianism (Aim茅 C茅saire, Michel Foucault, HAnnah Arendt)
Session 6: Democracy? (Jo毛lle Zask)
Session 7: What ecological political doctrines for the future? (Baptiste Morizot)
Teaching methods
Description of the lecture:
Rooted in the history and analysis of political ideas, the course gives students an overview of what can be understood by political "doctrines" and "ideologies". The aim is first to identify the foundations of modern and contemporary political thought since Antiquity and the invention of the Polis. It then presents the major theories of the state and sovereignty and the main political doctrines from Machiavelli to Marx and the criticisms of industrial society in the 19th century. Finally, it is a question of painting a picture of the great currents of ideas that marked the 20th century (socialism and communism, fascism), emphasising the elements of continuity and rupture with respect to the "classics鈥�. The presentation is oral, based on a detailed lesson plan, readings of articles or viewing of excerpts, and includes, depending on the opportunities, guest lectures by external speakers or participation in certain scientific events.
Description of the activity involved and of the reading seminar:
In a word, the students will have to read and participate as actively as possible. On the one hand, the lecture will be complemented by the reading of a book; for each part of the course, complementary readings will also be proposed. On the other hand, the reading seminar is structured on an agenda and a portfolio of readings (texts, extracts or chapters). Students will be asked to take turns presenting, alone or in small groups, the extract(s) that serve as a support for each session. The other students will have to report on their readings, their difficulties and what they have learned from their readings. The texts are chosen in relation to the sessions of the lecture course. Students should be able to synthesise what they read (themes, thesis, argumentation of the text), relate the texts and authors studied, and question them in relation to the themes of the course and current political issues. As the seminar sessions take place in smaller groups, they are also an additional opportunity to ask questions of elucidation and a place for debate.
Articulation between the lecture, the involving activity and the reading seminar:
As already mentioned, the reading of a book complements the lectures, deepening or broadening themes seen in the course from another angle and in another format, requiring the development of a spirit of synthesis.
The readings of the seminar may concern extracts from classical authors generally studied in political doctrines (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Arendt...) or articles or book extracts on these classics, the questions they raise or most recent debates.
Rooted in the history and analysis of political ideas, the course gives students an overview of what can be understood by political "doctrines" and "ideologies". The aim is first to identify the foundations of modern and contemporary political thought since Antiquity and the invention of the Polis. It then presents the major theories of the state and sovereignty and the main political doctrines from Machiavelli to Marx and the criticisms of industrial society in the 19th century. Finally, it is a question of painting a picture of the great currents of ideas that marked the 20th century (socialism and communism, fascism), emphasising the elements of continuity and rupture with respect to the "classics鈥�. The presentation is oral, based on a detailed lesson plan, readings of articles or viewing of excerpts, and includes, depending on the opportunities, guest lectures by external speakers or participation in certain scientific events.
Description of the activity involved and of the reading seminar:
In a word, the students will have to read and participate as actively as possible. On the one hand, the lecture will be complemented by the reading of a book; for each part of the course, complementary readings will also be proposed. On the other hand, the reading seminar is structured on an agenda and a portfolio of readings (texts, extracts or chapters). Students will be asked to take turns presenting, alone or in small groups, the extract(s) that serve as a support for each session. The other students will have to report on their readings, their difficulties and what they have learned from their readings. The texts are chosen in relation to the sessions of the lecture course. Students should be able to synthesise what they read (themes, thesis, argumentation of the text), relate the texts and authors studied, and question them in relation to the themes of the course and current political issues. As the seminar sessions take place in smaller groups, they are also an additional opportunity to ask questions of elucidation and a place for debate.
Articulation between the lecture, the involving activity and the reading seminar:
As already mentioned, the reading of a book complements the lectures, deepening or broadening themes seen in the course from another angle and in another format, requiring the development of a spirit of synthesis.
The readings of the seminar may concern extracts from classical authors generally studied in political doctrines (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Arendt...) or articles or book extracts on these classics, the questions they raise or most recent debates.
Evaluation methods
The examination is written. It includes questions on the lecture course (lecture, conferences, additional compulsory readings) for approximately 2/3 of the final mark (13 points out of 20) and on the reading seminar (presentations and compulsory readings as presented in the seminar) for approximately 1/3 of the final mark (7 points out of 20).
In order to recognise students' active participation in the seminar sessions, a 鈥渂onus鈥� point (in addition to the mark obtained for the written exam, in the 1st or 2nd session) may be awarded to students who have actively participated in all the seminar sessions. Attendance is compulsory for both the course and the seminar. All students are expected to present a paper in the seminar.
In order to recognise students' active participation in the seminar sessions, a 鈥渂onus鈥� point (in addition to the mark obtained for the written exam, in the 1st or 2nd session) may be awarded to students who have actively participated in all the seminar sessions. Attendance is compulsory for both the course and the seminar. All students are expected to present a paper in the seminar.
Other information
For the 鈥榣ecture鈥� part of the teaching unit, students may be asked to attend 1 or 2 conferences or lectures given by external guests as part of scientific events outside the course and related to the content of the course. If students are unable to attend due to a time conflict, support or an alternative will be provided. The content of these events forms part of the course content.
Similarly, the teacher may invite a researcher to give a talk during the course. These presentations are also considered to be part of the course.
Finally, students are asked to supplement the lecture by reading a work - usually an essay - on which they will be questioned in the final exam. The book is given at the beginning of the term.
Similarly, the teacher may invite a researcher to give a talk during the course. These presentations are also considered to be part of the course.
Finally, students are asked to supplement the lecture by reading a work - usually an essay - on which they will be questioned in the final exam. The book is given at the beginning of the term.
Online resources
The detailed course outline, supplementary readings and texts seen in seminars, as well as PPT pr茅sentations, are posted online on Moodle.
Bibliography
R茅f茅rences (s茅lection) du cours magistral (lectures non obligatoires)
Catherine Audard, Qu鈥檈st-ce que le lib茅ralisme?, Paris, Gallimard, 2009, p. 48-67.
Jean-Jacques Chevallier, Les grandes 艙uvres politiques de Machiavel 脿 nos jours, Paris, Armand Colin, 1970, r茅茅d.
Jean-Marc Ferry et Justine Lacroix, La pens茅e politique contemporaine, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2000.
Simone Goyard-Fabre, L鈥櫭塼at, figure moderne de la politique, Paris, Armand Colin, 1999, pp. 5-44.
G茅rard Mairet, Les grandes 艙uvres politiques, Paris, Le Livre de Poche, 1993 r茅茅d.
G茅rard Mairet, Le principe de souverainet茅, Paris, Gallimard, Folio/Essais, 1997.
Pierre Manent, Histoire intellectuelle du lib茅ralisme, Paris, Hachette, 1987, pp. 89-117 (Ch. IV: Locke, le travail et la propri茅t茅).
Pierre Manent, 芦 Pr茅sentation 禄 脿 Joseph de Maistre, Consid茅rations sur la France (1797), Bruxelles, Complexe, 1988, r茅茅d., pp. VII-XVIII.
Olivier Nay, Histoire des id茅es politiques, Paris, Armand Colin, 2007, r茅茅d.
Olivier Nay, Johan Michel et Antoine Roger, Dictionnaire de la pens茅e politique, Paris, Armand Colin, 2005.
Pascal Ory (dir.), Nouvelle histoire des id茅es politiques, Paris, Fayard, 2010.
Philippe Raynaud, 芦 Pr茅face 禄 脿 Edmund Burke, R茅flexions sur la r茅volution de France (1790), Paris, Hachette, 2004, pp. IX-CV.
Julien Weisbein et Samuel Hayat, Introduction 脿 la sociohistoire des id茅es politiques, Bruxelles, Louvain-la-Neuve, De Boeck Sup茅rieur, 2020.
Exemples de lectures compl茅mentaires pour le cours magistral (脿 titre indicatif, 脿 pr茅ciser en d茅but d鈥檃nn茅e)
Silvia Federici, Le capitalisme patriarcal, trad., Paris, La Fabrique 脡ditions, 2019, 184 p.
Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe et Jean-Luc Nancy, Le mythe nazi , 脡ditions de L鈥橝ube, 1991, r茅茅d. 2016, 80 p.
Rosa Luxemburg, La R茅volution russe, trad., 脡ditions de l鈥橝ube, 2013, 64 p.
Exemples de lectures obligatoires pour le s茅minaire (脿 titre indicatif, est susceptible de changer chaque ann茅e, est pr茅cis茅 avant le d茅but des s茅ances de s茅minaire)
S茅ance 1 : Benjamin Constant, De la libert茅 des Anciens compar茅e 脿 celle des Modernes, Paris, L. G. F., Coll. Pluriel, 1980, pp. 493-515
S茅ance 2 : Thomas Hobbes, Le L茅viathan ou Mati猫re, forme et puissance de l鈥櫭塼at chr茅tien et civil, Folio, 2000 [1651], pp. 336-353
S茅ance 3 : Olympe de Gouges, D茅claration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne ; Fran莽oise Verg猫s, Le f茅minisme d茅colonial (extraits), La Fabrique.(en ligne) ; Simone Weil, R茅flexions sur les causes de la libert茅 et de l鈥檕ppression sociale (extraits)
S茅ance 4 : Karl Marx, Le manifeste du Parti Communiste [1848], Chapitre I : Bourgeois et Prol茅taires
S茅ance 5 : Aim茅 C茅saire, Discours sur le colonialisme ; Michel Foucault, 芦 Il faut d茅fendre la soci茅t茅 禄 (extraits)
S茅ance 6 : Chantal Mouffe, L鈥檌llusion du consensus (extraits)
S茅ance 7 : Baptiste Morizot, Mani猫res d鈥櫭猼re vivant (extraits), Actes Sud
Catherine Audard, Qu鈥檈st-ce que le lib茅ralisme?, Paris, Gallimard, 2009, p. 48-67.
Jean-Jacques Chevallier, Les grandes 艙uvres politiques de Machiavel 脿 nos jours, Paris, Armand Colin, 1970, r茅茅d.
Jean-Marc Ferry et Justine Lacroix, La pens茅e politique contemporaine, Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2000.
Simone Goyard-Fabre, L鈥櫭塼at, figure moderne de la politique, Paris, Armand Colin, 1999, pp. 5-44.
G茅rard Mairet, Les grandes 艙uvres politiques, Paris, Le Livre de Poche, 1993 r茅茅d.
G茅rard Mairet, Le principe de souverainet茅, Paris, Gallimard, Folio/Essais, 1997.
Pierre Manent, Histoire intellectuelle du lib茅ralisme, Paris, Hachette, 1987, pp. 89-117 (Ch. IV: Locke, le travail et la propri茅t茅).
Pierre Manent, 芦 Pr茅sentation 禄 脿 Joseph de Maistre, Consid茅rations sur la France (1797), Bruxelles, Complexe, 1988, r茅茅d., pp. VII-XVIII.
Olivier Nay, Histoire des id茅es politiques, Paris, Armand Colin, 2007, r茅茅d.
Olivier Nay, Johan Michel et Antoine Roger, Dictionnaire de la pens茅e politique, Paris, Armand Colin, 2005.
Pascal Ory (dir.), Nouvelle histoire des id茅es politiques, Paris, Fayard, 2010.
Philippe Raynaud, 芦 Pr茅face 禄 脿 Edmund Burke, R茅flexions sur la r茅volution de France (1790), Paris, Hachette, 2004, pp. IX-CV.
Julien Weisbein et Samuel Hayat, Introduction 脿 la sociohistoire des id茅es politiques, Bruxelles, Louvain-la-Neuve, De Boeck Sup茅rieur, 2020.
Exemples de lectures compl茅mentaires pour le cours magistral (脿 titre indicatif, 脿 pr茅ciser en d茅but d鈥檃nn茅e)
Silvia Federici, Le capitalisme patriarcal, trad., Paris, La Fabrique 脡ditions, 2019, 184 p.
Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe et Jean-Luc Nancy, Le mythe nazi , 脡ditions de L鈥橝ube, 1991, r茅茅d. 2016, 80 p.
Rosa Luxemburg, La R茅volution russe, trad., 脡ditions de l鈥橝ube, 2013, 64 p.
Exemples de lectures obligatoires pour le s茅minaire (脿 titre indicatif, est susceptible de changer chaque ann茅e, est pr茅cis茅 avant le d茅but des s茅ances de s茅minaire)
S茅ance 1 : Benjamin Constant, De la libert茅 des Anciens compar茅e 脿 celle des Modernes, Paris, L. G. F., Coll. Pluriel, 1980, pp. 493-515
S茅ance 2 : Thomas Hobbes, Le L茅viathan ou Mati猫re, forme et puissance de l鈥櫭塼at chr茅tien et civil, Folio, 2000 [1651], pp. 336-353
S茅ance 3 : Olympe de Gouges, D茅claration des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne ; Fran莽oise Verg猫s, Le f茅minisme d茅colonial (extraits), La Fabrique.(en ligne) ; Simone Weil, R茅flexions sur les causes de la libert茅 et de l鈥檕ppression sociale (extraits)
S茅ance 4 : Karl Marx, Le manifeste du Parti Communiste [1848], Chapitre I : Bourgeois et Prol茅taires
S茅ance 5 : Aim茅 C茅saire, Discours sur le colonialisme ; Michel Foucault, 芦 Il faut d茅fendre la soci茅t茅 禄 (extraits)
S茅ance 6 : Chantal Mouffe, L鈥檌llusion du consensus (extraits)
S茅ance 7 : Baptiste Morizot, Mani猫res d鈥櫭猼re vivant (extraits), Actes Sud
Teaching materials
- Plan d茅taill茅 du cours magistral
- Portefeuille de lectures du s茅minaire
Faculty or entity
Programmes / formations proposant cette unit茅 d'enseignement (UE)
Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
