Political Science 408 Interpretative Methods in Political Science M. Loriaux, instructor Political science research relies on concepts (‘country,’ ‘democracy,’ ‘voting,’ ‘power,’ ‘market’) that are human, linguistic constructions. Their meaning, power, and relevance depend on how they are used and understood. Knowing how they are used and understood, in turn, requires interpretation. This course introduces students to methodological issues raised by interpretation. It is not limited to interpretive work alone, but addresses problems of interpretation as they crop up generally in political science scholarship. The goals of such scholarship vary from predicting to explaining to understanding to destabilizing and contesting dominant discourses. But in all cases there is interpretation. The gathering of events or people into “kinds” of events or “kinds” of people so as to manipulate them as variables in small-n or large-n analyses, for example, is an interpretive undertaking. For this reason this course seeks not only to introduce the student to interpretive methods narrowly conceived, but to place such methods against the backdrop of broader questions regarding what knowledge is, how we acquire it, and how interpretation contributes to that effort. To this end, we examine, successively, hermeneutics (associated with Skinner and Gadamer); critical hermeneutics (Ricœur); the cultural political economy of Pierre Bourdieu; genealogy (Nietzsche and Foucault); and deconstruction (Derrida). April 10. Hermeneutics Jean Grondin, Introduction to Philosophical Hermeneutics. April 17. Hermeneutics Quentin Skinner, “Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas.” Peter Winch, The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Philosophy. April 24. Critical Hermeneutics Paul Ricœur, Hermeneutics and the Human Sciences, chs. 1-7. May 1. Genealogy Friedrich Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morality. May 8. Genealogy Michel Foucault, Introduction, “Truth and Power,” “Nietzsche, Genealogy, History,” “Enlghtenment,” “What is an Author?,” all in Foucault, The Foucault Reader. May 15. Genealogy Michel Foucault, Security, Territory, Population, chs. 1-5, 9-13. May 22. The Cultural Political Economy of Pierre Bourdieu Pierre Bourdieu, Homo Academicus. May 29. Deconstruction Ferdinand de Saussure, “Nature of the Linguistic Sign,” Pt. I, ch. 1, Pt. II ch. 4. Jacques Derrida, "Differance," "Dissemination." June 5. Deconstruction Jacques Derrida, Of Spirit. or, TBA Jacques Derrida, Specters of Marx

Political Science 408

Interpretative Methods in Political Science

M. Loriaux, instructor

Political science research relies on concepts (‘country,’ ‘democracy,’ ‘voting,’ ‘power,’ ‘market’) that are human, linguistic constructions. Their meaning, power, and relevance depend on how they are used and understood. Knowing how they are used and understood, in turn, requires interpretation. This course introduces students to methodological issues raised by interpretation. It is not limited to interpretive work alone, but addresses problems of interpretation as they crop up generally in political science scholarship. The goals of such scholarship vary from predicting to explaining to understanding to destabilizing and contesting dominant discourses. But in all cases there is interpretation. The gathering of events or people into “kinds” of events or “kinds” of people so as to manipulate them as variables in small-n or large-n analyses, for example, is an interpretive undertaking. For this reason this course seeks not only to introduce the student to interpretive methods narrowly conceived, but to place such methods against the backdrop of broader questions regarding what knowledge is, how we acquire it, and how interpretation contributes to that effort.

To this end, we examine, successively, hermeneutics (associated with Skinner and Gadamer); critical hermeneutics (Ricœur); the cultural political economy of Pierre Bourdieu; genealogy (Nietzsche and Foucault); and deconstruction (Derrida).

April 10. Hermeneutics

Jean Grondin, Introduction to Philosophical Hermeneutics.

April 17. Hermeneutics

Quentin Skinner, “Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas.”

Peter Winch, The Idea of a Social Science and Its Relation to Philosophy.

April 24. Critical Hermeneutics

Paul Ricœur, Hermeneutics and the Human Sciences, chs. 1-7.

May 1. Genealogy

Friedrich Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morality.

May 8. Genealogy

Michel Foucault, Introduction, “Truth and Power,” “Nietzsche, Genealogy, History,” “Enlghtenment,” “What is an Author?,” all in Foucault, The Foucault Reader.

May 15. Genealogy

Michel Foucault, Security, Territory, Population, chs. 1-5, 9-13.

May 22. The Cultural Political Economy of Pierre Bourdieu

Pierre Bourdieu, Homo Academicus.

May 29. Deconstruction

Ferdinand de Saussure, “Nature of the Linguistic Sign,” Pt. I, ch. 1, Pt. II ch. 4.

Jacques Derrida, "Differance," "Dissemination."

June 5. Deconstruction

Jacques Derrida, Of Spirit.

or, TBA

Jacques Derrida, Specters of Marx