UCSB PS 110:

Political Concepts - Democratic Theory

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Professor: Chase Hobbs-Morgan
Email: chobbsmorgan@polsci.ucsb.edu
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Teaching Assistant: Felicity Stone-Richards
Email: fstone-richards@ucsb.edu
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Phelps 1425, T/Th 11:00-12:15 Office Hours: T 1:00-3:00
Fall 2019 Phone: (831) 295-0760
4 Units Office: Ellison 3705

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Democracy, understood simply, is that form of government in which the people rule
over themselves. Yet this basic definition doesn’t tell us much. Who counts as ‘the
people’ that ought to rule over themselves? Citizens? Noncitizens? The rich? The poor?
How might people exercise such rule - can they all participate directly? Or, for the sake
of expediency, must the people instead elect representatives to rule in their name? How
can we think about moments in which formally democratic states do undemocratic
things? Is democracy only a form of government, or is it something else as well - a
culture, an identity, or a goal toward which we might perpetually strive even if we
rarely attain it? Where did the idea of democracy come from, and how has it changed as
it traversed vast distances of time and space?

In this course, we will ask and start to answer questions like these - questions about the
nature, historical development, varieties, and future of democracy. To do so, we’ll first
look at thinkers who contributed to our foundational understanding of democracy: the
Ancient Greeks, Locke, Rousseau, Mill, and Dewey. Some of these thinkers believed in
democracy whereas others did not. Still, each contributed something important to our
understanding of democratic theory.

We will then turn to 20 and 21 century varieties of democratic thought: elitist,

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participatory, deliberative, and agonistic. Finally, the course ends by turning to a very
few important issues in contemporary democratic life: to questions of citizenship, race,
and immigration, and whether the democratic theorists we have studied can help us
respond to difficult questions surrounding those topics.

Your first and most important task in this course is to understand and reflect
thoughtfully and critically on the readings. You will demonstrate this through
participation in class and in your sections, and by writing in-class paragraph responses,
two essays, and a final examination. After doing so, it is my hope that you will leave the
class better informed about the history of democratic thinking and prepared to
participate in democratic politics, whatever your political leanings may be.
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COURSE GOALS/LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Substance. Substantively, you will come away from this class with a solid
understanding of some of the most important figures in democratic theory, along with a
sense of the broad historical development of democracy. In doing so, you will sharpen
your own appreciation for and/or critiques of democracy as a political endeavor.

2. Skills. Because learning about political theory requires close, careful attention to texts
and arguments, and because the course involves a good deal of writing and speaking,
you can expect to hone relevant skills: close reading; the ability to understand, critically
interpret, and creatively respond to arguments; clear and effective writing; and
confident yet generous speaking. These are important academic skills, but they are also
important skills in the workplace and in life more generally.

3. Political participation. Most optimistically, insofar as this course seeks to expand

your familiarity with key political concepts, and bolster your confidence in your own
knowledge of politics, I hope that this course will contribute to your ability, and enlarge
your willingness, to participate in political life more generally (and to do so beyond the
confines of social media).

COURSE MATERIALS

Readings for this course will come from the following sources. Please purchase the texts
(and be sure they are the same editions listed below), and print readings from
Gauchospace, as the nature of the course will require everyone to follow along with
readings, reference them, and debate them in class. The books are available at the
campus bookstore, and may of course be available online at a lower cost. They are also
available on reserve at the library.

John Locke. Second Treatise of Government. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 1980. ISBN: 978-
0915144860.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau. On the Social Contract. 2 ed. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett, 2019.
nd

ISBN: 978-1624667855.
John Stuart Mill. On Liberty, Utilitarianism, and Other Essays. New Ed. London:
Oxford UP, 2015. ISBN: 978-0199670802.
John Dewey, The Public and its Problems. Athens, OH: Swallow Press, 2016. ISBN:
978-0804011662.
Chantal Mouffe. The Democratic Paradox. New York: Verso Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-
1844673551.
PDFs uploaded to Gauchospace.

NB: It is important that you do all of the assigned readings before the class for which
they are assigned. Bring your readings to class and section; our meetings will require
you to look back at what you’ve read. Again, please print a paper copy of PDFs. I
strongly discourage the use of e-devices in class. They are convenient, yes, but much
research suggests that they are distracting not only to ourselves but to others as well.
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ASSIGNMENTS, GRADING POLICY, AND LATE POLICY

First, two things to note about what this class requires:

Reading ............................................................................................... ~ 100 to 150 pages /week

Attendance ........................................... strongly encouraged; section attendance mandatory

Your grade will be based on your completion of the following assignments:

Participation (section attendance and contributions) ........................................................ 10%

Reflection on Democracy (due Oct. 3) ................................................................................... 5%
6 Paragraph Responses (in class and random; lowest score dropped) ........................... 10%
Essay 1 (due Oct. 24) ............................................................................................................... 25%
Essay 2 (due Nov. 21) ............................................................................................................. 25%
Final Exam (Dec. 11) ............................................................................................................... 25%

Your final grade will be based on the following rubric:

A+: .............................................................................................................................. 97% to 100%

A: .................................................................................................................................. 93% to 96%
A-: ................................................................................................................................. 90% to 92%
B+: ................................................................................................................................. 87% to 89%
B: ................................................................................................................................... 83% to 86%
B-: .................................................................................................................................. 80% to 82%
C+: ................................................................................................................................ 77% to 79%
C: ................................................................................................................................... 73% to 76%
C-: ................................................................................................................................. 70% to 72%
D+: ................................................................................................................................ 67% to 69%
D: .................................................................................................................................. 63% to 66%
D-: ................................................................................................................................. 60% to 62%
F: ..................................................................................................................................... 0% to 59%

Late Work and Re-grade Policies:

All due dates listed in this syllabus are firm. Late assignments will be docked 5% per
some portion of 24 hours of being late. So, if turned in one day late a paper which earns
a 90% will drop to an 85%, after two days it will receive an 80%, etc. If you find yourself
in this situation, which I hope you do not, please get in touch with me (not your TA) as
soon as you sense trouble (i.e. well before the paper is due) so I know when to expect
your assignment. No assignments will be accepted more than one week late.

If you receive a score on one of your essays that, upon honest and thorough self-
reflection, seems off to you, you may re-submit it to me for reconsideration. In order for
me to re-consider your grade, you must also turn in a one-page response to the
comments you received. Your response should make a persuasive yet diplomatic case
for why your essay nonetheless deserves a higher score. If you wish to do this, you
must submit the original essay along with your one-page reflection to me no later than
one week after you receive your grade/feedback. Note: I reserve the right to adjust your
grade upward or downward based on my assessment.
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IMPORTANT RESOURCES

Disabled Students Program: Accommodations

Students with disabilities may request academic accommodations for exams online at
http://dsp.sa.ucsb.edu. Please do so early in the quarter when possible, for your own
sake.

Managing Stress
Stress, anxiety, relationship problems, depression, and other afflictions are not rare.
Still, they are serious. Know that you can rely on Counseling & Psychological Services
(CAPS) at 805-893-4411 or http://counseling.sa.ucsb.edu/.

Academic Skills
If this or any other course feels like it’s too much, know that there are resources
available to you. In addition to coming to office hours (either mine or your TA’s), know
that you can visit Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS). CLAS offers tutoring,
writing and ESL services, skills workshops, and consultations. See
http://clas.sa.ucsb.edu for info.

Responsible Scholarship
Under no circumstances will I or your TAs tolerate plagiarism or other forms of
academic dishonesty. If you’re unsure of what this means, the Office of Judicial Affairs
has a wealth of information which you can find at http://judicialaffairs.sa.ucsb.edu.
Please also feel welcome to discuss with me any questions you have about citations,
plagiarism, what constitutes cheating and academic dishonesty, etc., at any point.

Campus Climate
Hateful actions based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender
identity, citizenship status, age, or disability are not acceptable. In the event that you
witness such an event, you may anonymously report it at
http://judicialaffairs.sa.ucsb.edu/hate.aspx.

International Student Support Program

The ISSP has online resources and provides confidential support for international
students, in many languages. See http://oiss.sa.ucsb.edu/

Undocumented Student Services

USS provides general counseling to undocumented and mixed status students. Services
include access to student mentors, programs, and legal service referrals. See
http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/DreamScholars/.

Likewise, know that I am available in office hours to discuss any difficulties you are
having with the class. This includes difficulties completing and/or comprehending the
readings, confusions about assignments, or just a general sense that you need a bit of
guidance. The point of college isn’t to be good at everything from the outset and hit
home runs every time you take a swing. The point is to improve, to fine-tune your skills
and slowly expand your knowledge. If I can help you with that process, don’t hesitate
to drop by my office hours.
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CLASS SCHEDULE, READINGS, AND ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES

Week 1: Introduction to the Course

Sept 26:
Read the syllabus closely before class ...................................................................GauchoSpace

Week 2: Why Care about Democracy?

Oct 1:
Nathan Robinson, “Democracy: Probably a Good Thing” ...............................GauchoSpace
Astra Taylor, “Introduction: Living in the Tension” .........................................GauchoSpace

Oct 3:
Robert Dahl, “The First Transformation: To the Democratic City State” .......GauchoSpace
Thucydides, “Pericles’ Funeral Oration”.............................................................GauchoSpace
CLR James, “Every Cook Can Govern” ...............................................................GauchoSpace

DUE IN CLASS: REFLECTION ON DEMOCRACY

Week 3: Contract Theory I

Oct 8:
Locke, Second Treatise on Government ........................................................................ Locke 2-65

Oct 10:
Locke, Second Treatise on Government .................................................................... Locke 65-124

Week 4: Contract Theory II

Oct 15:
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, On the Social Contract .................................................. Rousseau 1-44

Oct 17:
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, On the Social Contract .............................................. Rousseau 45-116

Week 5: Liberalism
Oct 22:
John Stuart Mill, On Representative Government ........................... Mill 209-24; 235-48; 264-83

Oct 24:
No readings; focus on essay due in class

IN CLASS: ESSAY 1 DUE

Week 6: Pragmatism
Oct 29:
John Dewey, The Public and its Problems.................................................. Dewey 59-85; 115-43

Oct 31:
John Dewey, The Public and its Problems............................................................ Dewey 171-205
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Week 7: Contemporary Approaches I

Nov 5: Elitist Democracy
Joseph Schumpeter, Capitalism, Socialism, & Democracy (selections) ...............GauchoSpace

Nov 7: Deliberative Democracy

Amy Gutman; Dennis Thompson, Why Deliberative Democracy? (selections) GauchoSpace

Week 8: Contemporary Approaches II

Nov 12: Participatory Democracy
Carole Pateman, Participation & Democratic Theory (selections) .......................GauchoSpace

Nov 14: Agonistic Democracy I

Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox ............................................................... Mouffe xi-59

Week 9: Contemporary Approaches III

Nov 19: Agonistic Democracy II
Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox ............................................... Mouffe 60-107; 129-40

Nov 21:
No readings; focus on essay due in class

DUE IN CLASS: ESSAY II

Week 10: Issues in Contemporary Democracy I

Nov 26: Democracy, ethnicity, and race
Michael Mann, The Dark Side of Democracy (selections) .....................................GauchoSpace
Jason Stanley; Vesla Weaver, “Is the US a ‘Racial Democracy’?” ....................GauchoSpace
Nikole Hannah-Jones, “America Wasn’t a Democracy …” ..............................GauchoSpace

Nov 28: No Class, Holiday

Week 11: Issues in Contemporary Democracy II

Dec 3: Democracy, citizenship, and immigration
Hiroshi Motomura, Americans in Waiting (selections) .......................................GauchoSpace
Michelle Chen, “Immigrants Will Be Vital …” ...................................................GauchoSpace
Alex Tabarrok, “The Case for Getting Rid of Borders-Completely” ...............GauchoSpace

Dec 5: Optimism and Pessimism

Astra Taylor, “From Founding Fathers to Perennial Midwives” ....................GauchoSpace

FINAL: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11 - 12-3PM TH

Good Luck and Keep in Touch!