POLI 100
1. Aristotle -
Man is more of a political animal – gift of speech – intended to set forth the
expedient and inexpedient/ just or unjust. Only he has a sense of good and
evil, just and just.
2. Robert Dahl's contemporary pluralist view
Rooted in plurality and pluralism – multiplicity of things – politics is all over
the place -
● Defines politics in terms of social relations that involve power, rule
and authority.
● Persistent pattern of human relations that involves control influence
power or authority.
● Pol systems- families, student govts, classrooms, schools, institutions,
governments.
3. Second Wave Feminist View – the personal is political
■ Consider-
The politics of housework
Pol of sexuality
Pol of reproduction
● The point- more than just individual choices
● Power-laden social relationships that shape people's choices – that
can strain and enable roles in very different way.
● Personal is political – certain aspects of their personal life is
influenced by politics.
, ● Eg- book by Kate Millet-
○ Sexual Politics - Published in 1969
○ 2nd wave feminist writer
○ died in 2017
○ Saw relations bw men and women as political
○ Politics as arrangements whereby one group of
persons is controlled by another.
●
4. Political science and politics
● Conceptual, empirical and normative aspects
● Conceptual- concepts (eg. power, oppression,
democracy, justice)
● Empirical (What exist? How does the political world
work? Causality)
● Normative aspects- What is good or just? - norms
Ex- Q - Is Canada a democracy?
(A conceptual, empirical and normative question?)
Ans - all of the above
No value- neutral way to define democracy.
PART II. : Power, Justice and Politics-
● What is Justice?
● How does it relate to other key concepts in pols?
Equality, freedom power and domination?
= Aesthetic Judgements
1. Aristotle -
Man is more of a political animal – gift of speech – intended to set forth the
expedient and inexpedient/ just or unjust. Only he has a sense of good and
evil, just and just.
2. Robert Dahl's contemporary pluralist view
Rooted in plurality and pluralism – multiplicity of things – politics is all over
the place -
● Defines politics in terms of social relations that involve power, rule
and authority.
● Persistent pattern of human relations that involves control influence
power or authority.
● Pol systems- families, student govts, classrooms, schools, institutions,
governments.
3. Second Wave Feminist View – the personal is political
■ Consider-
The politics of housework
Pol of sexuality
Pol of reproduction
● The point- more than just individual choices
● Power-laden social relationships that shape people's choices – that
can strain and enable roles in very different way.
● Personal is political – certain aspects of their personal life is
influenced by politics.
, ● Eg- book by Kate Millet-
○ Sexual Politics - Published in 1969
○ 2nd wave feminist writer
○ died in 2017
○ Saw relations bw men and women as political
○ Politics as arrangements whereby one group of
persons is controlled by another.
●
4. Political science and politics
● Conceptual, empirical and normative aspects
● Conceptual- concepts (eg. power, oppression,
democracy, justice)
● Empirical (What exist? How does the political world
work? Causality)
● Normative aspects- What is good or just? - norms
Ex- Q - Is Canada a democracy?
(A conceptual, empirical and normative question?)
Ans - all of the above
No value- neutral way to define democracy.
PART II. : Power, Justice and Politics-
● What is Justice?
● How does it relate to other key concepts in pols?
Equality, freedom power and domination?
= Aesthetic Judgements
