First-Year Seminar: Human Being and Citizen.

Catalog description

This course introduces students to the central questions of political philosophy through the study of major philosophical and literary texts in the Western tradition. It examines enduring debates about human nature, justice, liberty, citizenship, and political order, asking how human beings ought to live together in community. Students will consider the relationship between the good person and the good citizen, the moral and institutional foundations of political society, and the tensions inherent in democratic life. Through engagement with foundational texts, the course develops students' capacity for critical reflection, civic perspective, and thoughtful participation in democratic life.