F1415 Revolution and Social Transformation: Sources and Contemporary Examples
Sweeney Eileen C.
This course will take up accounts of the roots of modern notions of justified revolution and social justice calls to transform society in religious and philosophical texts, and then examine the theory and practice of revolution and social transformation in the 20th and 21st centuries. We will begin with interpretations of the political implications of the founding story of the Jews in Hebrew scripture and the ministry of Jesus as depicted in the Christian bible through the interpretations of political theorist Michael Walzer's Exodus and Revolution, and the work of progressive/liberation theologian Walter Wink (The Powers that Be). This examination will be followed by a consideration of the classical political theories of John Locke and Karl Marx on justice, revolution and social change. Philosophical and theological theoretical texts will be combined with political science and social science in examination of the work of activists from the 20th century and today. Hence, we will also consider the classic works of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Hannah Arendt, Frantz Fanon and Malcolm X on violent and non-violent resistance, as well as some contemporary thinkers on resistance in Eastern Europe, Bosnia, and Burma. We will consider the accounts of, justification for, and methods of dissent from governmental power/ society in these thinkers.
The course will consist of three units. The first will be consider sources in the Hebrew and Christian bibles and classical liberal political theory in Locke and Marx, as well as critiques of these sources. The second unit will consider 20th century theorists and activists attempting to bring about revolution or social change. We will consider both their theories and justifications but also their tactics and levels of practical success.
In the third and final unit of the class, students will work in groups to present an example of attempted social change or revolution, either of a whole country or of some segment or cultural element in it. Students will be able to choose their own topics, but will also be provided with possible cases to work on. Cases might include the recent revolution/revolutionary attempts described in the works of Gene Sharp (Waging Nonviolent Struggle: 20th Century Practice and 21st Century Potential), Margaret Keck and Kathryn Sikkink (Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics), recent political upheaval in places such as South Africa, Tunisia, Syria, Egypt. Domestic forms of activism aiming at transforming particular aspects of society will also be possible topics, e.g., the transformation of gang culture in the US, activists movements against female genital mutilation or for environmental causes. The course will conclude with a final essay connecting the sources, theoretical accounts of how to achieve a just political order and practice through the examples and case studies examined.
The learning goal of the class is to connect theory and practice, to see how theories might bring about action and change, and about how the real world of practice might act to change theory. The course will also work to provide students with the skills to examine and evaluate critically these different views and their application to contemporary problems. We will be concerned to examine activists and non-theoretical thinkers to see what theories they are relying on implicitly and also to see how theory might be unworkable in practice and, if so, why. Lastly and most generally, we will be considering how different theories and activist movements have embedded in them philosophical theories of human nature, justice and the nature and obligation of social relations.
Evaluation
Readings