PHILOSOPHY IN WARTIME

PHI 579 S

Religion, Revolution, Terrorism and War

An Urgent Wartime Introduction to Advanced Political Philosophy

PRELIMINARY WAR SYLLABUS

Barry Smith
Wednesday 6pm Park 280

This is a graduate research seminar designed to address major themes of political philosophy in light of recent events. Topics will include:  

    The ontology of war
    Pacifism, the Koran and the philosophy of the just war
    The philosophy, politics, economics and geography of Islam
    Jihad, kamikaze and the politics of religion
    Revolution and the Apocalypse
    The definition of  terrorism
    Terrorisms of global and of local reach
    National sovereignty and its future
    Freedom, reason and modernity
    The possibility of a universal civilization
    Imperialism: its glory and its misery
    Nation, land, territory and property
    Hesperophobia or: the fear of the West
    The problems and perils of tolerance
    Immigration, aliens and identity cards
    Women, the draft, and the military
    Racial, gender and religious profiling
    Multiculturalism, relativism, cultural egalitarianism, and sick societies
    The death of postmodern irony
    The nature of evil
    The rebirth of patriotism

Readings: Preliminary reading material for the class is available on the internet at the Philosophy in Wartime website: 

Grading: Students will be required to prepare two short position papers, and to defend these in class. One of these position papers should be expanded into an essay, which must be submitted before May 1, 2002. 

The first meeting of the class will take place on Wednesday January 30, 2002. Two Saturday workshops will be held in conjunction with this class, on February 9 and March 16.