Outline

Overview

Political theory helps us to better understand the ideas that have shaped our politics, including freedom, equality, power, and justice. This unit of study will introduce students to major ideas and primary texts from the Western tradition of political thought. Authors may include Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau, Mill, Marx, Arendt, Foucault, and Rawls.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Government and International Relations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	12 credit points at 1000 level from Philosophy or Government and International Relations or Politics or International Relations
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Alexandre Lefebvre, alex.lefebvre@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 August 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	Final essay Questions will be posted on Canvas	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 20 Nov 2026 at 23:59	2,500 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Practical skill	Weekly Questions: Early Feedback Task This assessment is part of the Weekly Questions assignment. You do not need to complete it separately.	0%	Week 03	-	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Midterm essay Questions will be posted on Canvas	40%	Week 07 Due date: 18 Sep 2026 at 23:59	2,000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Practical skill	Weekly Questions Submitted in person at the beginning of the lecture: refer to the 'assessment summary' section below	10%	Weekly	-	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Weekly Questions: Each week students are expected to prepare two questions based on the relevant reading. Each question can be as long as a paragraph or as short as a sentence. The questions will be counted, not graded. But to count they must reflect a real engagement with the relevant reading (e.g., to ask when reading Tocqueville, “Why does Tocqueville hate democracy so much?” is not a real engagement. A good question is: “Tocqueville seems to have a lot of reservations about democracy: it can lead to uniformity, mediocrity, even despotism. How does he think democracy can be saved, without just going back to feudalism?”). These questions must be submitted in print in person at the start of the lecture each week. Submission during the mid-lecture break will not be accepted. Please write your name and tutorial time (e.g., Monday 3-4 pm). Emailed submission or submission in tutorial will not be accepted. Submission by someone other than yourself will not be accepted. Each set of questions will count as 1% toward your final grade, up to a maximum of 10%.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a Credit a good standard, and a Pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to Political Theory. Reading: Lefebvre, Liberalism as a Way of Life, Introduction, 1-7.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 02	Plato, The Republic, on Power and Justice. Reading: Book 1 (all), Book 2 (up to 367e). Theme: what is justice and is it desirable?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Plato, The Republic, on Justice. Reading: Book 2 (from 368a-end), Book 3 (all), Book 4 (all). Theme: the city-soul analogy and the ideal city.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Plato, The Republic, on Truth and Politics. Reading: Book 5 (all), Book 7 (all). Book 6 is optional reading. Theme: on philosopher kings and queens, and whether knowing is essential to ruling.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Plato, The Republic, on the Imperfect Regimes. Reading: Book 8 (all), Book 9 (all), Book 10 (614b-621d). Theme: the lesser regimes, timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws, selected chapters from Books II–VIII Theme: the nature and principle of government; republic, monarchy, despotism; virtue, honour, fear	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Tocqueville, The Advent of Democracy, Reading: Democracy in America, Hardcopy book pages: 3-15, 27-65, 82-93 PDF pages: 79-89, 97-128, 140-149 Theme: democracy as a social condition; equality of conditions; the township; democratic habits and local freedom.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Tocqueville, The Tyranny of the Majority, Reading: Hardcopy book pages: 165-172, 235-258, 274-288, 298- 302 PDF pages: 205-212, 265-284, 297-308, 317-320. Theme: majority power, public opinion, conformity, intellectual independence, and the moral psychology of democracy.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Tocqueville, Democratic Despotism. Reading: Hardcopy book pages: 639-676. PDF pages: 629-660. Theme: individualism, withdrawal into private life, centralization, tutelary power, soft despotism, and the fate of freedom in democratic societies.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Xenophon, Hiero, or Tyrannicus, 27-47 Theme: classical tyranny; fear, pleasure, insecurity, domination, and the misery of the tyrant	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, Part Two, chapter “The Political Emancipation of the Bourgeoisie.” Theme: bourgeois withdrawal from public responsibility; the nation-state; imperialism; the anti-political pursuit of power and expansion.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, Part Three, chapter “A Classless Society.” Theme: mass society, atomization, loneliness, the collapse of class structures, and the kind of subject made available for totalitarian politics.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, Part Three, chapter “Ideology and Terror: A Novel Form of Government.” Theme: totalitarianism as distinct from tyranny; ideology, terror, law, motion, and the return to Montesquieu’s question of the principle of government.	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	As per lecture	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90 per cent of timetabled activities for a unit of study. This includes both lectures and tutorials.

You will need to attend the lecture in order to submit weekly questions. If you are unable to consistently attend lectures in person for good reasons (for example, a disability accommodation), please send me an email at alex.lefebvre@sydney.edu.au to discuss.

Please bring a hard or soft copy of the weekly reading to the lecture and tutorial. This unit of study is based on close textual analysis, and you will be lost without having the reading at hand.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Plato, The Republic. Translated by Tom Griffith. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. This edition is preferred, though translations by Reeve or Bloom are fine as well. Available for purchase through Amazon, or else PDF posted on Canvas.

Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America. Translated by Harvey C. Mansfield and Delba Winthrop. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. THIS EDITION IS REQUIRED. Available for purchase through Amazon, or else PDF is posted on Canvas.

Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws. Translated and edited by Anne M. Cohler, Basia Carolyn Miller, and Harold Samuel Stone. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. THIS EDITION IS REQUIRED. Available for purchase through Amazon, or else PDF is posted on Canvas.

Xenophon, Hiero or Tyrannicus. In On Tyranny, revised and expanded edition, by Leo Strauss, including the Strauss–Kojève correspondence. Edited by Victor Gourevitch and Michael S. Roth. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000. THIS EDITION IS REQUIRED. PDF is posted on Canvas.

Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973. THIS EDITION IS REQUIRED. Available for purchase through Amazon, or else PDF is posted on Canvas.

A final note on books. Although PDFs will be available on Canvas, I strongly encourage you to purchase hard copies wherever possible, even if they cost a little more. Research consistently shows that reading in print improves engagement, retention, and comprehension compared to reading on screens. This is especially true for The Republic, Democracy in America, and The Origins of Totalitarianism, which we will read closely and discuss over several weeks. All three are readily available online, often quite inexpensively, and are well worth owning. They are the sort of books that can stay with you long after the unit is over.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. analyse and contrast major political thinkers, including Plato, Xenophon, Montesquieu, Tocqueville, and Arendt.
LO2. develop critical reading skills of primary texts.
LO3. analyse core concepts in modern political theory, such as power, consent, sovereignty, rights, democracy, equality, justice, and pluralism.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Restructured unit with new readings.

Additional information

This unit of study introduces students to three masterpieces of political thought, selected from the ancient, modern, and contemporary traditions. Through a close reading of these texts, we will extract and examine major topics from the history of Western political theory and show their relevance for today.

We begin with the first book of political philosophy ever written, Plato’s Republic (375 BCE). It has been said that philosophy after Plato amounts mostly to footnotes to his work and, while an exaggeration, there is a grain of truth to it. With the Republic, we will investigate questions that have never ceased to occupy philosophy, such as: Is it good to be just? What is the best (and worst) type of regime? And does politics have any connection to truth?

Next, we will spend four weeks with Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America (1835/1840), arguably the greatest book ever written on either democracy or America. Tocqueville himself was an aristocrat and clearly saw both the pros and cons of the coming democratic age. With him we will explore ideas of freedom, equality, individualism, majority rule and tyranny of the majority, racism and genocide, and power.

Finally, we turn to John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice (1971), which is the most influential book of political philosophy of the twentieth century. With him we will look at ideas of justice, impartiality, fairness, merit, self-interest, moral education, shame, and love.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

GOVT2112: Introduction to Political Theory

Semester 2, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links