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Political Research Seminar (395-0-25)

Topic

Oligarchs and Elites

Instructors

Jeffrey Winters
Scott, #403

Meeting Info

Scott Hall 201 Ripton Room: Tues 2:00PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

The Occupy Wall Street protests gave us the powerful imagery of the 99 vs. the 1 percent. The world was confronted with the question "How democratic are our democracies?" When wealth, power, and privilege are distributed so unequally, how much does one-person, one-vote really matter? Theories of oligarchs and elites help us make sense of "participatory inequality," or even "domination through democracy." This seminar takes on these important topics. 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. Is there a relationship between rising inequality and rising polarization within democracies? Students will find this seminar highly relevant to modern political issues.

Registration Requirements

Attendance at first class required

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

This is a seminar where we gain knowledge through guided conversations about the course's reading materials. As this is not a lecture course, students are expected to take the lead in seminar discussions.

Evaluation Method

Participation in seminar discussions; a weekly one-page "thought piece" on the readings; and a final research paper

Class Materials (Required)

  1. Steven Everson, ed. Aristotle: The Politics and the Constitution of Athens. Cambridge University Press, 1996. 2nd edition. ISBN: 9780521484008.
  2. Jeffrey Winters. The Blind Spot: How Oligarchs Dominate our Democracy. Scribner, 2026. ISBN: 9781668221532.

All reading materials other than the required books will be available on Canvas.

Class Notes

Attendance at the first session is required.

All reading materials other than the required books will be available on Canvas.

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for Political Science students who are Juniors or Seniors