Faculty Syllabus

Instructor Info

• Instructor:  Antonio (Toño) Ramirez

• Email:  antonio.ramirez@austincc.edu 

  • Please indicate your Course and Section/Synonym number in the subject heading of emails

• Office Phone: 512.223.2203

• Office Hours:

  • Tuesdays 9:15-10:15 AM (available both at my physical office and via Zoom)

  • Wednesdays 12-1 PM (via Zoom only)

  • Office/online meetnig details available via the 'Contact and Office Hours' page of our Blackboard Course

Course Description

• Students will be introduced to a critical examination of fundamental social and political concepts, e.g., justice, rights, and political obligation.
• Readings will presented with an emphasis on  concepts rather than historically, and will incorporate an investigation of investigation of problems and concepts relevant to contemporary social theory. 
• Credit Hours: 3
• Classroom Contact Hours Per Week: 3

Course Rationale:

The complexities of political life ultimately rest upon principles and concepts that can be identified, appreciated and subjected to critical scrutiny via philosophical methods.  Through the study of political philosophy one can gain greater insight into the foundations of prominent views on what it means to live as social and political beings.

Students who successfully engage with the course and its content will:

• Identity and describe various major figures, divisions, theories, and concepts in social and political philosophy
• Analyze written texts from social and philosophy
• Apply concepts from philosophy to social and political problems and contemporary issues of both individual and universal significance
• Develop and defend a philosophical argument in a written essay

Course Expectations and Requirements

• Students who are considering dropping the course for personal reasons are encouraged to meet with me first—I’m happy to do what I can to help you succeed in this class!  To this end, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of office hours. 
• Reading assignments are required in this course.  I understand that some of the reading will be challenging, and that it may not be fully understood without subsequent in-class explanation.  Nevertheless, I expect that students will read the texts assigned. 
• As a significant portion of the course will involve class discussion of texts, it is expected that students will have completed assigned readings before the corresponding class meeting. 
• It is expected that students will engage one another’s ideas in discussion, and that this will be done in a respectful manner.  Neither disparaging remarks nor personal attacks will be tolerated in any way.
• Regular and timely class participation in discussions and completion of work is expected of all students. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class.
• The student is responsible for communicating with the instructor during the closure and completing any assignments or other activities designated by the instructor.

Student Assessment

• Paper assignments:
• All students will be required to submit one short essay, and one longer essay
• Written assignments will be evaluated according to standards/rubrics provided with assignment prompts. It is expected that students who remain unclear as to the standards of excellent written work will meet with the instructor before the assignment is due.  “Re-writes” are not accepted for paper assignments.  I am happy to review advance drafts of papers with you via live conference/meeting, but not via email.
• Academic honesty is imperative in written work.  I will spend time in class discussing plagiarism, and will take measures to help students avoid accidental plagiarism.  Please see the 'Plagiarism' section below for more information on this topic.
• I practice blind grading to ensure impartiality in evaluating student work.  Students should not indicate on the front of any paper assignment. 
•  
• Exams:
• A series of short exams will be given during the semester.  These exams will focus exclusively on the content of our readings and class discussions.  The exams will not be cumulative (i.e. the content for the second exam will not be drawn from readings during the first third of the semester, etc.).
• Exams may not be ‘made up’.  In the event that you miss an exam, it will be recorded as a grade of 0.  If you know that you will need to miss an exam in advance, an early exam may be scheduled at the instructor’s discretion.
• An optional, cumulative final exam will be offered at the end of the semester.  The format of this exam will be free response, and the score earned will replace your lowest two short exam scores, whether for higher or lower.
• Homework assignments:
• Unit modules will typically feature a series of homework exercises, which will be due as indicated in the course schedule below. 
• Homework exercises will often feature discussion exercises, many of which will require you to submit multiple posts.  Please be sure to check all requirements for these exercises in order to ensure that you receive full credit for your work. 
• Reading quizzes will allow two attempts, with the higher of the two being recorded.  Note: In the event that a reading quiz is submitted late, only the first attempt will be considered for credit. 
• Homework will be distributed and submitted via the Blackboard system, unless otherwise indicated.
• Your lowest 2 homework scores will be disregarded when calculating your final “Homework Assignment” score for the semester.  

• • • • Attendance buffer:

• • • • • • • • Students may miss a total of three class meetings without penalty during the term.  A fourth absence will result in the loss of the “attendance buffer” (explained below) when final grades are calculated.  At the instructor’s discretion, a sixth absence will result in dismissal from the course (or a mark of “F” in the event that the sixth absence occurs after the drop date).
              • Students are not required to provide me with a reason for absence, nor are apologies necessary.  I assume that absences will only occur under legitimate circumstances.
              • Students who miss a class meeting are responsible for obtaining any information or assignments they may have missed.
              • Attendance will be taken at the beginning of class on a daily basis.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that his/her name has been recorded accurately on daily attendance sheets. 
              • Students are expected to come to class on time.  Three late arrivals will be considered equivalent to one absence on the attendance record.
              • There will be no exceptions to the attendance buffer policy.

Final grades will be awarded according to the following:

Grade Scale:

I will be happy to discuss course grades at any point during the term.  In order to protect your privacy, I will only discuss your grades with you in person during office hours, or via an ACC-sanctioned communication platform.  This includes the Blackboard Collaborate online conference platform, my ACC phone number, or email from your ACC email account.   

Please note that FERPA prohibits me from discussing your grades with anyone outside of the college without your permission. This includes family members.  Granting me permission is required before I may discuss your grade with anyone outside the college, but it does not oblige me to discuss your grade with anyone outside the college.  I must receive a physical, written, signed FERPA waiver in order to speak to someone else about your standing in the course. 

Withdrawal Policy

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the rolls should they decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date. 

The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester's sessions are as follows:

• 16 Week Session:  4/25/22

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a “W”) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.

Missed Exam and Late Work Policy

• Late exams will not be accepted for credit without instrutor approval, and then only at the instructor's discretion.  I encourage you to make prior arrangements (at least 24 hours in advance of the exam due date) if you anticipate difficulties in meeting an exam due date.    

• Paper Assignments turned in on time will be graded and returned with comments within one week of the due date.  Students may submit assignments up to one week after the due date at no penalty, but I make no guarantees for a prompt return.  I will not accept any papers that are turned in after this time.

• All students are eligible to submit three (3) late homework assignments for full credit, provided that these are not submitted more than one week later than the due date indicated in the schedule.  No apologies or explanations are needed.
  • Once this 3-assignment limit has been reached, credit for late work is not guaranteed, and is contingent upon the student meeting with me.  

Incompletes

An incomplete (grade of "I") will only be due to extenuating circumstances.  The nature of “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion, but require at the very least that the student have already completed at least 80% of the total work for the course.  If a grade of I is given, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor.  A grade of I also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by the faculty member (and student if possible) and submitted to the department chair.

Students may request an Incomplete from their faculty member if they believe circumstances warrant.  The faculty member will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not.  The following processes must be followed when awarding a student an I grade.

1.      Prior to the end of the semester in which the “I” is to be awarded, the student must meet with the instructor to determine the assignments and exams that must be completed prior to the deadline date.  This meeting can occur virtually or in person.  The instructor should complete the Report of Incomplete Grade form.

2.      The faculty member will complete the form, including all requirements to complete the course and the due date, sign (by typing in name) and then email it to the student.  The student will then complete his/her section, sign (by typing in name), and return the completed form to the faculty member to complete the agreement.  A copy of the fully completed form can then be emailed by the faculty member to the student and the department chair for each grade of Incomplete that the faculty member submits at the end of the semester.  

3.      The student must complete all remaining work by the date specified on the form above.  This date is determined by the instructor in collaboration with the student, but it may not be later than the final withdrawal deadline in the subsequent long semester. 

4.      Students will retain access to the course Blackboard page through the subsequent semester in order to submit work and complete the course. Students will be able to log on to Blackboard and have access to the course section materials, assignments, and grades from the course and semester in which the Incomplete was awarded. 

5.      When the student completes the required work by the Incomplete deadline, the instructor will submit an electronic Grade Change Form to change the student’s performance grade from an “I” to the earned grade of A, B, C, D, or F.

If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.”  Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is not frequently granted by the registrar.

Plagiarism and Acaedmic Integrity

Any plagiarized writing assignment submitted in this course will automatically result in a grade of “F” for the assignment, with no re-write option.  Repeat instances will an “F” in the course.  Plagiarism will be reported to the Dean of Academics. 

Students are responsible for understanding academic integrity standards.  Students who are unsure about standards for academic honesty should review this tutorial, and consult with me.  In short, any uncited material, presented as your own original work, constitutes plagiarism.  This includes uncited quotes and paraphrases from internet and print sources, as well as from other student work.  There will be no exceptions to this policy.

Discussion of Course Grades

I will be happy to discuss course grades at any point during the term.  In order to protect your privacy, I will only discuss your grades with you in person during office hours, or via an ACC-sanctioned communication platform.  This includes the Blackboard Collaborate online conference platform, my ACC phone number, or email from your ACC email account.  

Please note that FERPA prohibits me from discussing your grades with anyone outside of the college without your permission. This includes family members.  Granting me permission is required before I may discuss your grade with anyone outside the college, but it does not oblige me to discuss your grade with anyone outside the college.  . I must receive a physical, written, signed FERPA waiver in order to speak to someone else about your standing in the course.

Problem Resolution

If you are having a problem related to this course or related to me as your professor, your first step generally should be to speak with your professor. If I cannot resolve the problem or satisfy your concern, or, if for some reason you would prefer not to address the issue with your professor, you may contact the Chair of the Department, Grant Potts for help.

Email: gpotts@austincc.edu.

Office: HLC 4.2310.36

Phone 512-223-7153.  Further complaint procedures are detailed in the College Policies below.

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College Policies

A detailed list of ACC policies for the semester is available here.

Readings will come from the following books, which are available in both print and e-text formats.  These are available for purchase at the bookstore, and also widely available for purchase or rent via alternative retailers:

• Wolff, Jonathan.  An Introduction to Political Philosophy, 3rd ed.  Oxford University Press, 2016.  ISBN 9780199658015 (REQUIRED)
   

Additional required readings will be distributed electronically.

A full schedule of readings and assignments is available via the 'Course Schedule: All Events' page in our Blackboard course.

Topics and themes will be organized according to course modules:

• Module 1: Course overview
  • Students will be introduced to the format and requirements of the course
• Module 2: Philosophical Methods
  • We will consider the distinctive nature of philosophical inquiry as it applies to moral discourse, and proceed to discuss the nature of arguments as they function in philosophy
• Module 3: Human Nature in the Absence of the State
  • Readings and discussions will consider the classic thought experiment of the 'State of Nature', focusing on perspectives from Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Mencius and Hsun Tsu.  Psychlogical egoism will be subjected to critical scrutiny.
• Module 4: Political Authority and Obligation
  • Readings and discussions will consider standard philosophical justifications for political authority, including social contract theories, utilitarianism and appeals to fairness.  Philosophical anarchism will be explored as an alternative to these.
• Module 5: Democracy and Its Detractors
  • Beginning with a discussion of Plato's views on political rule as a sort of skill, we will consider the merits of democracy as a system of rule.  We will emphasize particular problems confronting representative democracy as they arise in contemporary contexts.
• Module 6: The Limits of Liberty
  • Readings and discussions will consider classical liberalism as it is grounded in John Stuart Mill's 'Liberty Principle'.  We will consider the implications of Mill's views for contemporary social problems, as well communtarian criticisms of a classical liberal perspective.
• Module 7: Distributive Justice
  • Discussions will consider philosophical justifications for, as well as objections to, market economies.  We will also look closely at tensions between Robert Nozick's libertarianism and John Rawls' welfare liberalism.
• Module 8: Is Justice Blind, or Does It Simply Have Blind Spots?
  • Readings and discussions will examine inequities stemming from such factors as race and disability, with an eye toward implications for contemporary political debates.