Freedom, Citizenship, Culture

Catalog description

This course will survey recent trends in political philosophy with special attention to competing conceptions of political freedom, civic identity and responsibility, and the political significance of community and cultural diversity. Does our political freedom depend primarily upon securing the negative liberties celebrated in the classical liberal tradition? Does it also require adequate social rights, democratic self-determination and/or active and ongoing participation in the political process? How should claims of freedom be balanced alongside the need to promote the common good, political solidarity and unity, and a sense of common belonging? How should the demands of citizenship be weighed against commitments arising from membership in sub-state cultural groups and other forms of human community?