Hannah Arendt

Catalog description

This seminar offers an in-depth exploration of the political and social theory of Hannah Arendt, one of the most influential and provocative thinkers of the twentieth century. Through close readings of major works - including The Human Condition, The Origins of Totalitarianism, On Revolution, Between Past and Future, and The Life of the Mind - as well as selected essays and lectures, students will engage with Arendt's reflections on power, politics, action, judgment, and the cultivation of a humane, human world. We will endeavor to follow Arendt's imperative "to think what we are doing," both in our understanding of her work and its relevance to the challenges of our own time. The course is designed for graduate students in political theory, political philosophy, and related fields in the humanities and social sciences. Advanced undergraduates with prior coursework in political or social theory may be admitted with permission of the instructor.