POL 3786 - Political Thought 2
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 44080,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Adam Fuller
Email: afuller@ysu.edu
Course Description
3786. Political Thought 2. The development of western political thought from the Renaissance to the Modern period. Among the major figures treated: Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Smith, Publius, Tocqueville, and Mill. Prereq.: 9 s.h. of Political Science. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | The Leviathan | Thomas Hobbes | |
| Required | The Second Treatise of Government | John Locke | |
| Required | The Prince | Niccolo Machiavelli | |
| Required | The Spirit of the Laws | Baron Charles de Montesquieu | |
| Required | On the Social Contract | Jean-Jacques Rousseau | |
| Required | The Federalist Papers | Publius |
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | No reading | Course Introduction, Introduction to Political Thought | |
| 8/31 | Machiavelli, "Dedicatory Letter," Chapters 1-7 | Machiavelli’s The Prince | |
| 9/7 | Machiavelli, Chapters 8-15 | Machiavelli’s The Prince | |
| 9/14 | Machiavelli, Chapters 16-24 | Machiavelli’s The Prince | |
| 9/21 | Machiavelli, Chapters 25-27 | Machiavelli’s The Prince | |
| 9/28 | Hobbes, Chapters 1-5 | Exam 1, Hobbes, Leviathan | Exam 1 |
| 10/5 | Hobbes, Chapters 6-10 | Hobbes' Leviathan | |
| 10/12 | Hobbes, Chapters 11-15 | Hobbes' Leviathan | |
| 10/19 | Locke, Chapters 1-10 | Locke's Second Treatise of Government | |
| 10/26 | Locke, Chapters 11-20 | Locke's Second Treatise of Government | |
| 11/2 | Locke, Chapters 21-29 | Locke's Second Treatise of Government | Exam #2 |
| 11/9 | Rousseau, Books 1 and 2 | Rousseau's Social Contract | |
| 11/16 | Rousseau, Books 3 and 4 | Rousseau's Social Contract | In-Class Writing Assignment |
| 11/23 | Montesquieu, Books 1 and 11 | Montesquieu's Spirit of the Laws | |
| 11/30 | The Federalist Papers 1-10, 50-76 | The Federalist | |
| 12/7 | No reading | Finals Week | Exam #3 |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.