SHUM 6631 - Pluralism and Political Authority

(crosslisted) AMST 6630, GOVT 6835, PHIL 6435, SHUM 6631

Spring. 4 credits. Student option grading.

Enrollment limited to: 15 students. Not open to: undergraduates. Co-meets with AMST 4630/GOVT 4835/PHIL 4435/SHUM 4631.

A. Eisenberg.

This seminar considers new directions in thinking about political authority that focus on the claims of non-state groups. It considers leading 20th century political theorists who have recognized authority to be plural and contested as well as those who have resisted this characterization. We explore contemporary scholarship about religious groups that claim authority over their members, Indigenous peoples that claim authority over lands and resources, and employers that claim authority over workers by imposing their own rules and norms even if these depart from ones endorsed by the state. The aim is to understand where legitimate authority comes from, how it is enacted, and what role (if any) it plays in shaping the identities of those who are subject to it.

For longer description and instructor bio please visit http://societyhumanities.as.cornell.edu/courses.