Political Research Seminar (395-0-21)
Topic
Oligarchs and Elites
Instructors
Jeffrey A Winters
Scott, #403
Meeting Info
Scott Hall 107 Burdick Room: Wed 9:00AM - 11:50AM
Overview of class
It is obvious that dictatorships are ruled by small segments of society. But what about democracies? No matter how democratic, every society is marked by profound inequalities. Not only are wealth, power, and privilege distributed unequally, but they appear to have remained so or are actually getting worse despite the rise of democracy. Theories of oligarchs and elites attempt to make sense of these puzzling patterns and trends. Does democracy really challenge social, political, and economic stratification? Or does "partial" equality in the political realm serve to strengthen and legitimize inequalities in other realms of social life? This seminar takes on these important questions from the ancient to the modern era. We will examine a range of cases and countries, with a special emphasis on the US where elite theory arose and oligarchic theory has re-emerged. Students have consistently found this seminar stimulating and relevant to modern political life. This has only increased with the struggle over domination by the 1% (a metaphor for the power of oligarchs and elites).
Registration Requirements
Juniors/seniors only
Learning Objectives
By the end of this seminar you should have a deeper understanding of when and how extreme inequalities arose in societies, and how and why they have endured. We will look at how power is concentrated in few hands and explore the impact of major political innovations (such as the democratic form of government) on extreme inequalities of power and privilege. You should gain significant insights into the question: How can people be so equal and yet so unequal? And what, if anything, can or should be done about it?
Teaching Method
Seminar
Evaluation Method
Participation in seminar discussions; weekly one-page thought pieces on the readings; and a 10-15 page research paper
Class Materials (Required)
Steven Everson, ed. Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens. Cambridge University Press, 1996. 2nd edition. ISBN: 9780521484008.
John Higley and Michael Burton. Elite Foundations of Liberal Democracy. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2006. ISBN: 9780742553613.
John P. McCormick. Machiavellian Democracy. Cambridge University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780521530903.
Jeffrey A. Winters. Oligarchy. Cambridge University Press, 2011. ISBN: 9780521182980.
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for Political Science students who are Juniors or Seniors