The Philosophy of Hannah Arendt
Bruce Rosenstock
CRN 46556, TR 10:00-11:20, G30 FLB
RELST 494 "Topics in Religious Thought"

This course will examine the major philosophical writings of Hannah Arendt (1906-1975). Arendt has been the subject of recent scholarly interest (Seyla Benhabib in 1996 and Julia Kristeva in 2001 published major new books on her, for example). Arendt is recognized today as a one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century, and her work, The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951), once faulted for its historical methodology and scholarship, is being re-examined as a work of major philosophical significance, particularly its discussion of human rights and the totalitarian reduction of the human to “bare life.”

The class will meet once a week to discuss the major works of Arendt (either in their entirety or selections). The (tentative) syllabus:

Weeks One and Two: Origins of Totalitarianism (focus on the rise of racism under imperialism; human rights; the loss of “nextness” in totalitarianism). (Students must purchase and read assigned selections before class over the summer.)
Weeks Three and Four: The Human Condition (We will read this in its entirety).
Week Five: On Revolution (We read this in its entirety, together with Melville's Billy Budd)
Week Six: Eichmann in Jerusalem (selections)
Week Seven: On Violence (with Carl Schmitt, Concept of the Political)
Weeks Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven: The Life of the Mind (complete)
Weeks Twelve, Thirteen: Lectures on Kant's Political Philosophy (with readings from Kant's Critique of Judgment, On the Possibility of Perpetual Peace)

During the semester, all students will present short seminar presentations on the assigned readings, and complete a final paper, with a presentation on it at the final seminar. Most of the time will be spent reading Arendt, but there will be some reading from secondary works dealing with her (Benhabib, Villa, Critchley, Kristeva).