PSC 260 - Politics of Evil

Institution:

University of New England

Subject:

Political Science

Description:

In the period following September 11, 2001, the idea that certain people are evil has taken a central place in American political rhetoric-helping to justify two foreign wars and doctrine of pre-emption, perhaps the most dramatic shift in American foreign policy since the first world war. It is clear that defining a person or a group of people as evil can be a powerful political maneuver-one that opens up possibilities for actions and policies that would not otherwise be possible. This course examines the long human tradition of thinking about evil and labeling people as evil. We will look at the religious origins of the western concept of evil, and the way thinking about evil changed with the Protestant revolution. The bulk of the course will examine the way ideas about evil became integrated into modern politics. We will do this by looking at political theorists that have thought about evil, particularly Machiavelli, Nietzsche, and Arendt. We will also look at political events that have centered upon rhetoric about evil, including the Inquisition, the Salem witch trials, Nazi Germany, the cold war and the red scare and finally contemporary rhetoric about terrorism and Islam.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

09/01/2006 - 09/01/2007 

Institution Website:

www.une.edu/

Phone Number:

(207) 283-0171

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Semester

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.