Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Introduction to Political Thought (Online)

POLS 2300-30I

Course: POLS 2300-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Political Sci Criminal Justice
CRN: 31651

Course Description

An introductory survey of key political ideas, concepts, and movements from antiquity to the 21st century. (Fall, Summer - Odd Years) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): None General Education Category: Social and Behavioral Sciences

Required Texts

THE HARWOOD READER: Essential Readings in the History of Economic Ideas
(*NOTE: NO NEED TO PURCHASE: The Harwood Reader will be provided to all of the students enrolled in this class free of charge courtesy of The American Institute for Economic Research- AIER)

Learning Outcomes

This is a course in an introduction to political thought. We will be reading excerpts from Plato’s Republic, Aristotle’s Politics, Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan, continuing with coverage of Adam Smith's ideas on free markets and Karl Marx ‘s critique on capitalism. 

The Core Learning OutComes for This Course Are As Follows:

1.     Read seminal works and analyze some fundamental political concepts 
2.     Explore deep the connections between political and economic thought
3.     Evaluate some of the critical ideas espoused by some of the most prolific political thinkers of the past to the modern age
4.     Explore fundamental questions and concepts that have shaped political philosophy 
5.     Demonstrate the ability to craft a reasoned argument and communicate it effectively
6.     Examine: Examine institutions and human behavior through social and behavioral
        concepts, methods, or theories;
7.     Analyze: Identify diverse perspectives to explore and examine social and
        behavioral phenomena; and
8.     Apply: Apply discipline-relevant and scientific theories and methods to make
        inferences about or applications to social and behavioral phenomena at personal,
        institutional, or cultural levels.






Course Requirements


COURSE ASSIGNMENTS, GRADE RUBRICS & WEIGHT PERCENTAGES:


 ASSIGNMENT 1.................................................................................................................................................30% of Total Course Grade
 
 (ELOs emphasized in this assignment are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8)

 Students Are Provided Two Options for Completing Assignment One


OPTION A: WRITTEN ESSAY (A minimum of 8-pages and maximum of 10-pages, 1.5 spaced, Times New Roman, 11-Point Font). Students who select this option will write an individually-authored paper that addresses the question posed.

Essay Rubric:
a) Essay Meets Minimum Page Requirement, Adheres to Required Formatting, & is Completed and Submitted On-Time
     (20% of essay paper grade)
b) Essay is Well-Organized & Addresses The Question Substantively: Essay reflects depth of understanding of course concepts and includes
     a clear introduction that carefully lays out how the essay will proceed logically in a manner that directly addresses the question posed.
    (40% of essay paper grade)
d) Essay is well-written, paragraphs are well-structured, sentences are clear and the entire paper is polished.
    This means that paper reads well and exhibits good grammar, proper spelling and punctuation and includes smooth transitions  between
    major thoughts and points (40% of essay paper grade)

Or, instead students can opt to complete:

OPTION B: A Group-Produced Pre-Recorded Video Presentation (Submitted in a Closed Youtube Format): Students selecting this option MUST complete a group-produced 15 minute to 20 minutes video presentation that addresses the question that is posed. Groups must be comprised of a minimum of three people and maximum of four people and must exhibit very high production quality.

Video Rubric:
a) Video Meets Minimum Time Requirement & Completed By Due Date (20% of video presentation grade)
b) Material Presented in the Video is Substantive in that directly addresses the question posed with precision and depth.
    The material presented in the video reflects that the students have done the readings as assigned and that they have gained
     a solid understaffing of what they read by providing thoughtful and meaningful commentary. (40% of video presentation grade)
d) Video Reflects High Production Quality. Video Presentations must reflect considerable time and effort on the part of
     all of the group members working collaboratively as a coordinated team. The material is presented in an engaging and accessible format
     (40% of video presentation grade)



ASSIGNMENT 2..............................................................................................................................................30% Of Total Course Grade

(ELOs emphasized in this assignment are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8)


Students Are Provided Two Options for Completing Assignment Two

OPTION A: WRITTEN ESSAY (minimum of 8-pages and maximum of 10-pages (Times New Roman, 11-Point Font). Students who select this option will write an individually-authored paper that addresses the question posed.

Essay Rubric:
a) Essay Meets Minimum Page Requirement, Adheres to Required Formatting, & is Completed and Submitted On-Time
     (20% of essay paper grade)
b) Essay is Well-Organized & Addresses The Question Substantively: Essay reflects depth of understanding of course concepts and includes
     a clear introduction that carefully lays out how the essay will proceed logically in a manner that directly addresses the question posed.
    (40% of essay paper grade)
d) Essay is well-written, paragraphs are well-structured, sentences are clear and the entire paper is polished.
    This means that paper reads well and exhibits good grammar, proper spelling and punctuation and includes smooth transitions  between
    major thoughts and points (40% of essay paper grade)

Or, instead students can opt to complete:

OPTION B: A Group-Produced Pre-Recorded Video Presentation (Submitted in a Closed Youtube Format): Students selecting this option MUST complete a group-produced 15 minute to 20 minutes video presentation that addresses the question that is posed. Groups must be comprised of a minimum of three people and maximum of four people and must exhibit very high production quality.

Video Rubric:
a) Video Meets Minimum Time Requirement & Completed By Due Date (20% of video presentation grade)
b) Material Presented in the Video is Substantive in that directly addresses the question posed with precision and depth.
    The material presented in the video reflects that the students have done the readings as assigned and that they have gained
     a solid understaffing of what they read by providing thoughtful and meaningful commentary. (40% of video presentation grade)
d) Video Reflects High Production Quality. Video Presentations must reflect considerable time and effort on the part of
     all of the group members working collaboratively as a coordinated team. The material is presented in an engaging and accessible format
     (40% of video presentation grade)



ASSIGNMENT 3................................................................................................................................................40% Of Total Course Grade

(ELOs emphasized in this assignment are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8)

Students Are Provided Two Options for Completing Assignment Three


OPTION A: WRITTEN ESSAY (minimum of 15-pages and maximum of 20-pages (Times New Roman, 11-Point Font). Students who select this option will write an individually-authored paper that addresses the question posed.

Essay Rubric:
a) Essay Meets Minimum Page Requirement, Adheres to Required Formatting, & is Completed and Submitted On-Time
     (20% of essay paper grade)
b) Essay is Well-Organized & Addresses The Question Substantively: Essay reflects depth of understanding of course concepts and includes
     a clear introduction that carefully lays out how the essay will proceed logically in a manner that directly addresses the question posed.
    (40% of essay paper grade)
d) Essay is well-written, paragraphs are well-structured, sentences are clear and the entire paper is polished.
    This means that paper reads well and exhibits good grammar, proper spelling and punctuation and includes smooth transitions  between
    major thoughts and points (40% of essay paper grade)

Or, instead students can complete:

OPTION B: Participate in a Two-Hour On-Campus Seminar at SUU By Dr. Ryan Yonk, November 16, 2026 from 4:00ppm-6:00pm. In this special face-to-face seminar (Room TBD), students will discuss pre-selected readings that will be assigned from The Hardwood Reader used in this class on political and economic theory. Please note that there will be NO online option for this option of Assignment 3.

This special seminar discussion will be led by Dr. Ryan Yonk from AIER (American Institute for Economic Research). Extensive and deep participation will be expected of all participants if they are to receive full credit for this experience. All students who wish to receive full credit in lieu of the final essay MUST attend the full two-hour special session- NO EXCEPTIONS- PLEASE DON'T EVEN ASK! A dinner will follow immediately at a local Cedar City restaurant hosted by AIER for all class attendees who participate and attend this full two hour special seminar.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENTS

The questions for the three essay papers and group video presentations appear below:

ASSIGNMENT 1:
Aristotle and Plato possess very different views of politics and who should rule. Identify 5 key areas of politics where they disagree. Provide evidence from the readings to support your arguments.

ASSIGNMENT 2:
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith, and Jean Jaques Rousseau hold very distinct but related notions the state of nature and, relatedly views on the social contract and role of "the state" in society. Compare and contrast them. Having done this, compare and contrast the views of Thomas Jefferson, Henry David Thoreau, and M.K. Gandhi on how those who are oppressed should respond to unjust rule. Provide evidence from the readings to support your arguments.

ASSIGNMENT 3:
Political theories are ideas that we hold in hour heads about how the world works. As we explored in this course through the writings of some of history's most prolific thinkers, politics, economics, and justice are inextricably connected. For this last essay, you are to write on the following:
1) discuss some of the the core characteristics that distinguish classical liberalism, capitalism, Marxism and neoliberalism as distinct ideologies. In other words, how are they distinct? 
2) discuss some of the characteristics that classical liberalism, capitalism, Marxism and neoliberalism share in common. In other words, how are they related?
3) in conclusion, discuss how the emerging area known as humanomics usefully synthesizes concepts from these distinct areas of political theory. 

OR

Participate & attend s a two-hour special seminar held on November 16, 2026 from 4:00ppm-6:00pm held at SUU'(Room TBD) related to readings in the Hardwood readers used in this course. ll students who wish to receive full credit in lieu of the final essay MUST attend the full two-hour special session- NO EXCEPTIONS- PLEASE DON'T EVEN ASK! The dinner afterward is completely voluntary.






Course Outline

What is Political Philosophy Weeks: 1 & 2
Read
: What is Political Thought? It's About Ideas. Gabriel Almond, "Clouds & Clocks" (pdf link provided in Canvas)

The Greeks Part I: Plato: Week 3
Read: Plato, The Republic
Watch: "Why Read Plato's Republic" (Robin Waterfield)
Watch: Plato's Republic I: "Justice, Power, and Knowledge" (Michael Sugrue)

The Greeks Part II: Aristotle: Week 4
Read: Aristotle, Politics
Watch: "Politics and Ethics:" 
Watch: Aristotle & The Middle Class
Watch: Aristotle, The State, Moderation & The Middle Class

Natural Law & The Social Contract: Week 5
Read: Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
Read: John Locke, The Second Treatise on Civil Government
Read: Jean Jaques Russeau, The Social Contract
Read: Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence

Liberty & Liberalism: Week 7
Read: John Stuart Mill, On Liberty
Read: Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience
Read: M. K. Gandhi, Non-violent Resistance

Classical Economics and Political Economy Part I: Week 8
Read: Adam Smith, "The Wealth of Nations" Chapters 1, 2, & 3 (excerpts) from The Harwood Reader, pp. 93-108.
Read: David Hume, "Of Money" and "Of Interest" from The Harwood Reader, pp. 17-37
Read: Alexander Hamilton "Report on the Subject of Manufacturers 1791 (Excerpts) from The Harwood Reader, pp. 297-313

Classical Economics and Political Economy Free Trade PART II: Week 9
Read:
Deirdre N. McCloskey, "The Bourgeois Virtues: Ethics for an age of commerce" (excerpts), University of Chicago Press https://press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/556638.html
Read: David Ricardo, "On Value" and "On Foreign Trade" from The Harwood Reader, pp. 109-132.
Read: Carl Menger "The Theory of Value" from The Harwood Reader, pp. 245-251
Read: Richard Cantillon, "Essay on the Nature of Commerce in General" (Excerpts) from The Harwood Reader, pp.15-17.

The Socialist Critique of Capitalism From Marx to Rawls: Week 10
Read
: Karl Marx & The Reaction Against Incomplete Freedom: Karl Marx, "Value, Price & Profit" from The Harwood Reader, pp. 181-227
Read: Was Karl Marx A PubLic Choice Theorist?
Read: A critique of the central concepts in free-trade theory, Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies, 1998, Vol. 23, Issue 4, pp. 433-435)
Watch: "Introduction to [John] Rawls Theory of Justice", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6k08C699zI
Watch: "Dr. Darren Staloff, John Rawl's A Theory of Justice", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxvgWjsHynk&t=899s
Read: Nick Cowen, "Basic Economic Liberties: John Rawls and Adam Smith Reconciled" The Independent Review, Vol. 26, Iss. 2, (Fall 2021): 263-285. (Article link embedded in Canvas.)

Neoliberalism: Week 11
Read
: Manfred Steger & Ravi Roy, Neoliberalism: a very short introduction:, Chapter 1: "What's 'Neo" About Liberalism?"
Read:  “Hayek's The Road to Serfdom Revisited: Government Failure in the Argument Against Socialism”, Peter Boettke, Eastern Economic Journal, 1995, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 7-26.

Political & Economic Positivism of the 20th Century: Week 12
Read: "
Karl Popper, critical rationalism, and the Positivist Dispute, Hans Albert." Journal of Classical Sociology, 2015, Vol. 15(2) 209–219. (Article link embedded in Canvas.)
Read: Deoniti Prasad Sinha, "A Science of Politics Positivism Pros and Cons" 2017 JETIR October 2017, Volume 4, Issue 10 (Article link embedded in Canvas.)

Humanomics: Bringing Morality Back Into The Economics Discourse: Week 12
Read:
Diedre McCloskey, "Adam Smith did Humanomics: So should we" Eastern Economic Journal, (2016) 503–513. (Article link embedded in Canvas.)
Read:
An Article about Vernon L. Smith & Bart Wilson's seminal work on humanomics entitled "The Wealth of Humans: Core, Periphery and Frontiers of Humanomics", Paolo Silvestri & Benoît Walraevens, Journal of Economic Methodology, 2023, Vol. 30(1) 15-33. (Article link embedded in Canvas.)
Watch: Bart Wilson, "Meaningful Economics" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cyq_UG_uO8
Read:
 "Can there be a normative social epistemology? Vernon Smith, Adam Smith, and the challenge of systems", Michael Munger, Public Choice, March 2025. (Article link embedded in Canvas.)
Read: Ravi Roy, Mustafa Deldoost & Ryan Yonk. "The confluence of humanomics and neuroeconomics on economic cooperation", Submitted to Cosmos & Taxis journal. (Article link embedded in Canvas.)

Week 14: Summary & Wrap-up







Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

NO LATE WORK WILL ACCEPTED IN THIS CLASS!!!!
Employers expect that those they hire arrive on-time and complete all of their work in a professional manner. To prepare students for the real-world and help them hone a strong professional work ethic, all students in enrolled in this course will be held to firm deadlines and high performance standards. NO LATE WORK WILL ACCEPTED in this class.

EXCEPTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, ILLNESS, AND FAMILY EMERGENCIES
Very rare exceptions to the very strict "NO LATE WORK POLICY" policy may be made for students with physical and/or mental challenges who have first secured support from the SUU Disabilities Resource Center. Also, at the sole discretion of the instructor, exceptions may be made for students for reasons of unforeseen personal illness or illness or death of a close relative. In any case, formal documentation from a physician or other pertinent authority will be required to be given consideration for an extension of deadline for any assignment for any reason.
(Note: SUU's pregnancy policy is outlined clearly elsewhere in this syllabus).

Attendance Policy

This is an online class, so no attendance is mandatory

Course Fees

There are no course fees in this class

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.