POLI 240 Learning Objectives

Currents of Political Thought

By the end of the course, students will be familiar with:

  • the range of concerns dealt with in modern and contemporary political theory
  • that political theory is a diverse field of critical inquiry
  • the importance of historical, social, and political contexts for the generation and justification of political ideas
  • the difference between the tradition of western political thought and the political thought of other cultures
  • the meaning and origin of key political concepts in the field of political theory
    • e.g. power, freedom, equality, gender, race, etc.
  • the fact that these concepts are contested and that contestation is part of the history of political thought and contemporary political debate


  • use core theoretical concepts to explain and analyze real world political issues and problems
  • distinguish analytic use of these concepts from descriptive and anecdotal use
  • apply these concepts through effective argumentation in written and oral presentation
  • read primary works of political theory effectively and critically


  • recognize and generate sound argument to explain or justify political theories
  • structure an analytic paper in political theory
  • effectively communicate political analysis in written and oral forms