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GOVT-401 Dept Sem: Authoritarianism in Comp. Perspective
Offered academic year 2010-2011
We are living in a time of profound change in the class composition of the technologically advanced societies of the world—so profound, in fact, that some expert observers have concluded that the idea of class has outlived its usefulness as a tool for understanding the character of such societies. But the same societies are also undergoing profound cultural change—change that often gives rise to conflict that appears, at least, to be related to what historically have been understood as class differences. The purpose of this course is to examine the relationship between these developments—and its bearing on political life--in the light of some of the more influential classic (especially Marx & Weber) as well as contemporary (Giddens, Bourdieu, Wright, etc.) theories of class and culture. The course is designed to enable students to develop informed views on the following issues: 1) Is the idea of socio-economic class still a useful tool for analyzing what is happening in the technologically advanced societies? If so, in what form? 2) Is the idea of class useful for making sense of the cultural changes now occurring in those societies? If so, how? 3) Does such analysis also help to explain what is happening politically in those societies? If so, how? [Political Theory
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
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