POL-271 Medieval Christian and Islamic Political Thought

GER: TA (Critical, Analytical Interpretation of Texts)
Prerequisite: POL 103
This course explores several of the foundational texts in medieval Christian and Islamic political theory. The texts discuss themes related to the distinction betwen Church and state, the nature of the divine, reason and revelation, social cohesion, natural law, cyclical theories of history, the lust for power, and the ends of political life. Authors include St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, al-Farabi, and Ibn Khaldun. 4 credits