Yale Political Theory Reading List

The Yale Political Theory Reading List is a comprehensive and esteemed collection of texts that have shaped the field of political theory. This list is designed to provide students and scholars with a foundational understanding of the key concepts, ideas, and debates that have defined the discipline. The reading list is divided into several sections, each focusing on a specific period or theme in the history of political thought.

Ancient and Medieval Political Thought

This section of the reading list explores the earliest foundations of political theory, from ancient Greece to the medieval period. Key texts include Aristotle’s “Politics”, which examines the nature of the state and the ideal form of government, and Plato’s “The Republic”, which explores the concept of justice and the ideal society. Other important works in this section include Thucydides’ “The History of the Peloponnesian War”, which provides a historical context for the development of political thought, and St. Augustine’s “The City of God”, which explores the relationship between religion and politics.

Key Texts and Authors

Some of the key authors and texts in this section include:

• Aristotle: “Politics”, “Nicomachean Ethics”
• Plato: “The Republic”, “The Statesman”, “The Laws”
• Thucydides: “The History of the Peloponnesian War”
• St. Augustine: “The City of God”, “On the Free Choice of the Will”
• Cicero: “On the Commonwealth”, “On the Laws”

Modern Political Thought

This section of the reading list explores the development of modern political thought, from the 16th to the 20th centuries. Key texts include Thomas Hobbes’ “Leviathan”, which examines the nature of the state and the social contract, and John Locke’s “Two Treatises of Government”, which explores the concept of natural rights and the limits of government power. Other important works in this section include Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s “The Social Contract”, which examines the nature of sovereignty and the general will, and Immanuel Kant’s “Metaphysics of Morals”, which explores the relationship between morality and politics.

Key Texts and Authors

Some of the key authors and texts in this section include:

• Thomas Hobbes: “Leviathan”, “De Cive”
• John Locke: “Two Treatises of Government”, “Essay Concerning Human Understanding”
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: “The Social Contract”, “Discourse on the Origin of Inequality”
• Immanuel Kant: “Metaphysics of Morals”, “Critique of Practical Reason”
• John Stuart Mill: “On Liberty”, “Utilitarianism”

Contemporary Political Thought

This section of the reading list explores the development of contemporary political thought, from the 20th century to the present. Key texts include John Rawls’ “A Theory of Justice”, which examines the concept of justice and the principles of fairness, and Robert Nozick’s “Anarchy, State, and Utopia”, which explores the nature of the state and the limits of government power. Other important works in this section include Jürgen Habermas’ “The Theory of Communicative Action”, which examines the relationship between communication and politics, and Martha Nussbaum’s “Frontiers of Justice”, which explores the concept of justice and the principles of human dignity.

Key Texts and Authors

Some of the key authors and texts in this section include:

• John Rawls: “A Theory of Justice”, “Political Liberalism”
• Robert Nozick: “Anarchy, State, and Utopia”, “The Examined Life”
• Jürgen Habermas: “The Theory of Communicative Action”, “Between Facts and Norms”
• Martha Nussbaum: “Frontiers of Justice”, “Creating Capabilities”
• Michael Sandel: “Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?”, “What Money Can’t Buy”