Political Science 391PT - S-Medieval Political Thought

This course surveys the major political thinkers of the medieval period in both, the Islamic and Western traditions. We will begin by reading the political works of two ancient thinkers, Plato and Aristotle, whose writings have had considerable influence on their medieval counterparts. We will then examine the political writings of al-Farabi, St. Augustine, Avicenna, Averroes, Thomas Aquinas, and al-Ghazali, among others.

In reading these texts, we will attempt to trace how each of these thinkers a) formulates the relationship between human reason and revelation, b)conceives of legitimate political rule, and c) visualizes the relationship between the ruler and the ruled.

Open to Senior and Junior Political Science majors only.