This course introduces students to important debates in political theory from the 20th century to the present. A central concern will be how the great modern traditions of Western political thought—liberalism, conservatism, and Marxism—adapted to changing conditions. We will also examine topics including contemporary democratic theory; economic inequality and distributive justice; deliberation and political participation; race and gender in political theory; multicultural and post-colonial thought; and political theory and the environment. (Theory)