PO 247 - Politics and the Arts

This is a course in the history of political thought using some of the world’s greatest works of art (literature, theater, painting, sculpture, and music) as our texts. All of these works of art ask us to explore our place in the world. In that context we examine the ancient understanding of virtue and its place in politics, and the modern turn toward a new understanding of nature and religion, and thus a new foundation for political power. Finally we explore the existential result of that turn: by redefining nature (and human nature) as a series of forces which may be used to reshape political behavior, and by redefining political society as a conventional artifice, we open new horizons of freedom, but also leave ourselves uncertain of just what we should do next. Through a close examination of selected works we can think about the prophetic role of art in political society, and what some have called the “quarrel” between philosophy and poetry, or between reason and inspired passion.

Four credits.