283 papers

In writing a paper, it's best to begin by formulating a precise, clearly defined question, which will help you to focus your argument and ideas. Some suggested questions follow, but you could always arrange with me to do different ones. Organize your paper clearly around answering the question, and avoid deviating into irrelevant side-issues. Develop a central argument to answer the question and stick to it throughout, examining different aspects of it in separate paragraphs. Say at the beginning what your argument is, and at the end briefly summarize why you think you have proved that it is correct. Use facts, dates, and other details not to show that you know them but to advance your argument. When you mention details that are not widely known, you should have a note (footnote, end note, or a reference in parentheses) giving the source of your information. For example, you need not have a note if you say that Hobbes was born in 1588 since this is very well-known, but you should have one if you say that he helped collect the Forced Loan of 1626-7, as that is not commonly known.

[Reminder: you should not do a paper on the same topic as your presentation - but some overlap would be permissible.]

Possible questions:

(1) How seriously should we take More's claim that Utopia describes the best state of a commonwealth?

(2) Did Machiavelli attempt to replace Christian moral, political and social values with alternative values? What was his scheme of values, and was he successful in defending it?

(3) Why, and how successfully did Jean Bodin argue for his theory of absolute and indivisible sovereignty?

(4) How persuasive is Thomas Hobbes' case for supposing that human nature is so constructed that we can only attain peace if we are governed by an absolute ruler?

(5) What can be said for and against the idea that Hobbes was a reasonably orthodox Christian, and not an atheist?

(6) John Locke was especially pleased with the account of property which he gave in the Two Treatises of Government. What was that account, how convincing is it, and what part did it play in his wider political theory?

In addition to the items listed on the weekly handouts, the following books may be useful in writing papers:

1) Machiavelli and republicanism / edited by Gisela Bock, Quentin Skinner, Maurizio Viroli.
CALL NO. JC143 M4 M26 1990

4) Reform and Reformation--England, 1509-1558, G. R. Elton.
CALL NO. DA332 E497 (copy 2)

6) Essential articles for the study of Thomas More / edited with an introduction. and bibliography by R. S. Sylvester and G. P. Marc'hadour.
CALL NO. DA334 M8 E85

8) Machiavelli and Guicciardini; politics and history in sixteenth-century Florence.
CALL NO. DG738.13 G5

9) The development of political theory / by Otto von Gierke CALL NO. J AL7 YG36 Cutter

11) Aquinas: Selected political writings, ed. with an introduction by A. P. D'Entreves
CALL NO. JC121 T43 1959

12) Hamilton, Bernice. Political thought in sixteenth-century Spain.
CALL NO. JA84 S7 H32 (copy 2)

13) The Machiavellian moment: Florentine political thought and the Atlantic republican tradition, J. G. A. Pocock.
CALL NO. JC143 M4 P6

14) Wilks, Michael, The problem of sovereignty in the later Middle Ages; the papal monarchy with Augustinus Triumphus and the publicists.
CALL NO. BX957 W5

16) Zagorin, Perez, A history of political thought in the English Revolution
CALL NO. JA84 G7 Z3 1966

17) Sanderson, John, "But the people's creatures" : the philosophical basis of the English Civil War
CALL NO. DA415 S26 1989

19) Hobbes's system of ideas; a study in the political significance of philosophical theories, J. W. N. Watkins.
CALL NO. B1247 W3

20) Gender and history : the limits of social theory in the age of the family / Linda J. Nicholson.
CALL NO. HQ1206 N7 1986

21) Figgis, John Neville, 1866-1919. Political thought from Gerson to Grotius, 1414-1625; seven studies. Introduction. by Garrett Mattingly.
CALL NO. JA82 F5 1960

22) Figgis, John Neville, 1866-1919. The divine right of kings.
CALL NO. JC389 F5

23) Lewy, Guenter, 1923- Constitutionalism and statecraft during the Golden Age of Spain; a study of the political philosophy of Juan de Mariana, S. J.
CALL NO. JC145 M3 L4

24) Dunn, John, 1940- Locke / John Dunn.
College Library CALL NO. B1297 D86 1984 (copy 2)

25) On the duty of man and citizen according to natural law / Pufendorf ; edited by James Tully; translated by Michael Silverthorne.
CALL NO. K457 P8 D4313 1991

26) An approach to political philosophy, Locke in contexts / James Tully.
CALL NO. JC153 L87 T837 1993

27) A discourse on property : John Locke and his adversaries / James Tully.
CALL NO. JC153 L87 T84

28) Warrender, Howard. The political philosophy of Hobbes, his theory of obligation.
CALL NO. JC153 H66 W3

30) Politics drawn from the very words of Holy Scripture / Jacques-Benigne Bossuet ; translated and edited by Patrick Riley.
CALL NO. JC155 B74513 1990

31) The Cambridge history of political thought, 1450-1700 / edited by J.H. Burns with the assistance of Mark Goldie.
CALL NO. JA81 C283 1991 (copy 201)

32) Sir Robert Filmer and English political thought / James Daly.
CALL NO. JC153 F5 D34

33) The politics of the ancient constitution: an introduction to English political thought, 1603-1642 Glenn Burgess. CALL NO. JA84 G7 B85 1993.

34) Religion, law, and the growth of constitutional thought, 1150-1650 Brian Tierney.
LOCATION Law Library CALL NO. K3161 T53 1982

35) Natural law; an introduction to legal philosophy [by] A. P. D'Entreves. -- [2d rev. ed.] -- London
LOCATION Law Library CALL NO. K474 P37 N37 1970