POL 358 Anxiety and Restlessness in Western Political Thought
Anxiety is increasingly discussed on college and university campuses today. We are restless, anxious, overworked, and tired. Plato once argued that there is a relationship between our souls and our politics. This course will explore that claim by examining the theme of anxiety and restlessness across Western political philosophy, culminating in contemporary America. It invites reflection on the idea that we both shape our politics and that our politics shape who we are. Readings are to be finalized but may include: Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Pascal, Hobbes, Smith, Rousseau, Tocqueville, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and contemporary articles.