Common Course Outline

Course discipline/number/title PHIL 1170: Social and Political Philosophy

Catalog Description

Credits 3
Hours/Week 3 (3 lecture)
Prerequisites (Course discipline/number) None
Other requirements None
MnTC Goals (if any) Goal 6/The Humanities, the Arts, Literature, and Philosophy, Goal 7a/Human Diversity

Course Description

This course surveys political concepts, theories, and issues, with particular attention to how different political frameworks address questions of power, identity, and inequality. It examines theoretical support for political ideologies, power structures and social institutions, and moral concepts including rights, obligation, equality, justice, punishment, property, liberty, and authority. The course explores how these concepts intersect with race, gender, class, and other aspects of identity in the United States. College level reading and writing is recommended.

Date Last Revised (Month, year)

February, 2026

Outline of Major Content Areas

  1. Foundational Moral Theories
  2. Major Political Theories
    1. Anarchism
    2. Communism and Socialism
    3. Communitarianism
    4. Democratic Socialism
    5. Feminism
    6. Liberalism
    7. Libertarianism
  3. Major Political Systems
    1. Authoritarianism
    2. Democracy
    3. Monarchy
    4. Oligarchy
    5. Totalitarianism
  4. One or More Topics from the Following Areas:
    1. Authority, Power, and Violence
    2. Equality/Egalitarianism
    3. Identity/Community
    4. Justice
    5. Major Political Systems
    6. Rights/Liberty Obligations
    7. Social Contract

Learning Outcomes (General)

The student will be able to:

  1. Identify the major political theories and explain their grounding in moral theory.
  2. Identify major political systems.
  3. Identify conclusions and premises in social and political arguments.
  4. Apply political philosophical concepts and arguments to concrete situations.
  5. Formulate their own positions on social and political issues and justify them in an argument.
  6. Analyze how political theories address questions of diversity, power, and inequality.
  7. Evaluate political frameworks' treatment of marginalized groups.

Learning Outcomes (MnTC)

Goal 6/The Humanities, the Arts, Literature, and Philosophy

The student will be able to:

  1. Understand those works as expressions of individual and human values within a historical and social context.
  2. Respond critically to works in the arts and humanities.
  3. Articulate an informed personal reaction to works in the arts and humanities.
Goal 7a/Human Diversity

The student will be able to:

  1. Understand the development of and the changing meanings of group identities in the United States’ history and culture.
  2. Demonstrate an awareness of the individual and institutional dynamics of unequal power relations between groups in contemporary society.
  3. Analyze their own attitudes, behaviors, concepts, and beliefs regarding diversity, racism, and bigotry.

Methods for Evaluation of Student Learning

Methods may include but are not limited to:

RCTC Core Outcome(s)

This course contributes to meeting the following RCTC Core Outcome(s):

Global Awareness and Diversity
Students will demonstrate an understanding of and respect for human diversity through their words and actions.

Special Information (if any)

None